Is The Vaccine Safe for A Superficial Siderosis Patient?
Based on the data I’ve reviewed in the Pfizer filing, it appears that the RNA COVID vaccine they are releasing soon should be safe for siderosis patients. There are side effects, especially after the second shot, including pain, soreness and swelling at the site of the injection, as well as headache and fatigue in more than half of participants. The placebo group also got lots of headaches and fatigue, but the vaccine group got more. Out of 30,000+ participants, there were < 0.1% rare serious events which were largely divided equally between the vaccine and placebo arms. Those serious events were things like appendicitis that siderosis patients are not at risk for. So overall, I would recommend siderosis patients to take the RNA vaccine if they have the opportunity to do so. There is no issue with using the vaccine and Ferriprox at the same time.
Michael Levy, MD, PhD
Associate Neurologist, Massachusetts General Hospital
Chief Medical Advisor, Superficial Siderosis Research Alliance Director, Superficial Siderosis Clinic and Research Laboratory
Director, Neuromyelitis Optica Clinic and Research Laboratory
Research Director, Division of Neuroimmunology & Neuroinfectious Disease