covid19:The Moderna vaccine is not recommended for people under 30 years of age

On Monday 8 November, the High Authority for Health (HAS) published an opinion concerning the Spikevax covid vaccine® developed by Moderna. The body advises against it to people under 30 years of age. Why?

A risk of myocarditis

Moderna Serum is a messenger RNA vaccine, as is Pfizer's Cormirnaty® vaccine. It is one of the first to have obtained a marketing authorization to fight against the coronavirus. Since the beginning of vaccination, data have been collected as part of pharmacovigilance, by the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines (ANSM) and the Health Insurance, thanks to the Epi-Phare study. However, this study now shows that there is a "risk of occurrence of very rare cases of myocarditis". Although it is rare, the danger remains real. As a reminder, myocarditis is characterized by inflammation of the heart muscle while pericarditis concerns the membrane that surrounds the heart.

The ANSM had already confirmed this risk in its report dated October 2021, particularly following the study of patients aged 12 to 50 years. The study then stated "the existence of an infrequent risk of myocarditis and pericarditis within 7 days of vaccination against Covid-19 with an mRNA vaccine [...] particularly among young people aged 12 to 29. In addition, the HAS specifies today that men are more affected and that "this risk appears about 5 times lower for the Comirnaty vaccine® of Pfizer compared to the Spikevax vaccine® of Moderna. Nevertheless, the outcome of cases of myocarditis or pericarditis is, in the vast majority of cases, favourable. Indeed, "the state of health of patients improves on its own or with the help of treatment."

Moderna vaccine not recommended for children under 30

According to the HAS, it is therefore quite clear that this Spikevax® vaccine should not be administered to people under 30 years of age in order to rule out any risk of myocarditis or pericarditis. In 12-29-year-olds, an excess of cases was observed, to the tune of 131.3 per million cases involving Moderna and 26.7 compared to the Pfizer vaccine, most often after the injection of the second dose. In light of these clinical data and pending additional data on these risks, "the HAS recommends, for the population under 30 years of age and as soon as it is available, the use of the Comirnaty vaccine® whether it is a primary vaccination or a booster."