Pfizer Picked Covid-19 Dose Far Lower Than Moderna To Minimize Side Effects, Its Top Scientist Says

[appalachiablue]

- Business Insider, Sept. 8, 2021.

> Pfizer's top scientist said the company chose a relatively low vaccine dose to minimize side effects.

> Pfizer's vaccine has 30 micrograms of mRNA, the active ingredient. Moderna's has 100 micrograms. Both vaccines produce similar side effects, according to the CDC.

> Pfizer's top scientist has defended the dose of the company's COVID-19 vaccine, which is lower than in Moderna's vaccine.
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Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine has 30 micrograms of mRNA, the active ingredient of the vaccine, and Moderna's has 100 micrograms. Scientists have speculated this could be a reason why Pfizer's shot produced a lower antibody response than Moderna's in recent studies.

Philip Dormitzer, chief scientific officer at Pfizer, told the Financial Times on Wednesday that Pfizer and co-developer BioNTech "used the minimum dose level" that they could to get an immune response that was stronger than simply catching COVID-19. Dormitzer added that a higher dose might have risked more side effects, per the Financial Times. "If you look at what's going on with all the COVID-19 vaccines out there, the derailer has often been adverse events that have cropped up," he said.

Pfizer and Moderna's COVID-19 vaccines produce similar side effects, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Possible side effects include: a sore, painful, red arm; muscle aches; fatigue; and fever. A type of heart inflammation, called myocarditis, is an "extremely rare" side effect of both vaccines, and resolves quickly. There are case reports of so-called "Moderna arm," an angry red rash that goes away on its own after getting Moderna's shot, which isn't seen with Pfizer's. Insider contacted Moderna for comment, but didn't immediately receive a response.

In the US, more than 214 million doses of Pfizer's shot have been given out, and 147 million of Moderna's, according to the CDC.

Moderna shot boosted antibodies higher than Pfizer's: A study of 1,600 Belgian health workers published as a research letter in JAMA on August 30 found that Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine produced twice as many antibodies compared with Pfizer's, at six to ten weeks after vaccination. The study authors said that the higher mRNA levels in Moderna's vaccine compared with Pfizer's, and the longer time interval between doses for Pfizer "might explain this difference."...

- More,
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/pfizer-picked-a-covid-19-vaccine-dose-far-lower-than-moderna-s-to-minimize-side-effects-its-top-scientist-says/ar-AAOdQz9

[LetMyPeopleVote]

1. I like the Moderna vaccinations

[riversedge]

2. " Moderna shot boosted antibodies higher than Pfizer's: ........." Makes sense since the dosage

is over 3 times Higher.

I am glad I got the Moderna. I only had a sore arm the night of the jab and barely

noticed any soreness on 2nd jab. Lucky.

[marmar]

5. I had the sore arm and slight chills in the evening after the first Moderna jab.

And a lesser sore arm followed by a day of feeling somewhat fatigued after the second jab, but that was the extent of it.

[LizBeth]

3. I had Moderna arm after first shot. Two or three weeks after shot, started itching and then a long

redness area from shot area down to almost elbow. Kinda got concerned but then after a couple days it went away. Later, with the secobnd shot, I asked and they said Moderna arm and get shot in other arm for second. I will take the extra of Moderna, absolutely.

[Rebl2]

4. I received my

third Pfizer vaccine last month due to the fact I take immunosuppressant drugs. This third shot caused redness and swelling at injection site, but no rash. I also felt more tired after third shot than I did with the first two.

[NNadir]

6. Dose ranging is always a difficult issue in novel therapeutics.

It is usually determined in phase 1 clinical with healthy volunteers with the goal of achieving the highest dose that avoids serious side effects.

If there is data to suggest that efficacy may not require large doses, one can terminate the phase 1 dose ranging and move to phase 2 trials for efficacy.

However since this is a vaccine, designed to protect healthy people, efficacy falls out in Phase 1.

There may not be a linear relationship between dose and efficacy though.

Given the urgency I think the Pfizer decision was warranted.

I've had the Moderna vaccine, but at the time I got it I would have taken either.