Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
CDC To Hold 'Emergency' Talks On Alleged Link Between Covid Shots, Myocarditis
CBS News: CDC Plans "Emergency Meeting" On Rare Heart Inflammation Following COVID-19 Vaccines
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Thursday that it will convene an "emergency meeting" of its advisers on June 18th to discuss rare but higher-than-expected reports of heart inflammation following doses of the mRNA-based Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. So far, the CDC has identified 226 reports that might meet the agency's "working case definition" of myocarditis and pericarditis following the shots, the agency disclosed Thursday. The vast majority have recovered, but 41 had ongoing symptoms, 15 are still hospitalized, and 3 are in the intensive care unit. The reports represent just a tiny fraction of the nearly 130 million Americans who have been fully vaccinated with either Pfizer or Moderna's doses. (Tin, 6/10)
Stat: Officials Flag Rare Myocarditis Cases After Covid Vaccination
Federal health officials said Thursday they’re seeing rare but higher-than-expected cases of a heart issue called myocarditis among adolescents and young adults who received their second shot of one of the mRNA Covid-19 vaccines. The data are preliminary and limited, and experts are still trying to determine if there is indeed a link or if there is no connection at all. Officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration also said it was too early to establish a rate for how frequently myocarditis — an inflammation of the heart muscle — might occur, particularly for different age groups. (Joseph, 6/10)
NBC News: Evidence Grows Stronger For Covid Vaccine Link To Heart Issue, CDC Says
A higher-than-usual number of cases of a type of heart inflammation has been reported following Covid-19 vaccination, especially among young men following their second dose of an mRNA vaccine, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday. Overall, 226 cases of myocarditis or pericarditis after vaccination in people younger than age 30 have been confirmed, Dr. Tom Shimabukuro, deputy director of the CDC's Immunization Safety Office, said during a presentation to a Food and Drug Administration advisory group. Further investigation is needed, however, to confirm whether the vaccination was the cause of the heart problem. (Edwards, 6/10)
CNN: A Link Between Covid-19 Vaccination And A Cardiac Illness May Be Getting Clearer
The CDC says on its website that benefits of Covid-19 vaccination outweigh the known and potential risks "including the risk of myocarditis or pericarditis," which is swelling of the tissue around the heart. The agency says it is "actively monitoring these reports, by reviewing data and medical records, to learn more about what happened and to see if there is any relationship to COVID-19 vaccination." The agency advises people to be on the lookout for certain symptoms following Covid-19 vaccination, such as chest pain, shortness of breath and heart palpitations. (Cohen, 6/10)
