EU finds potential link between mild and rare heart inflammation and mRNA COVID shots

EU finds potential link between mild heart inflammation and mRNA COVID shots Europe's drug regulator has found a possible link between very rare heart inflammation and COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer (PFE.N) and Moderna (MRNA.O), it said on Friday, stressing that the benefits of the shots outweighed any risks. Reuters Reuters

July 9 (Reuters) - Europe's drug regulator has found a possible link between very rare heart inflammation and COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer (PFE.N) and Moderna (MRNA.O), it said on Friday, stressing that the benefits of the shots outweighed any risks.

Heart conditions myocarditis and pericarditis must be listed as possible side-effects of the two mRNA vaccines, the safety committee of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said, adding that such cases primarily occurred within 14 days of vaccination.

It added that the conditions occurred more often after the second dose and in younger adult men. This is in line with U.S. findings last month. read more

The EMA reviewed more than 300 cases of myocarditis and pericarditis overall in the European Union, plus Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein. Most of the cases occurred after inoculation with Pfizer's vaccine, called Comirnaty, it said.

Pfizer's vaccine has been used more widely in the EU than Moderna's.

Pfizer said in a statement that the cases were "generally mild" and individuals "tend to recover within a short time following standard treatment and rest". Its German partner, BioNTech (22UAy.DE),was not immediately available for comment. ...