Controversies seem to be waning with new scientific data being publish on a regular basis. In a very recent paper*, Carolina Grana Possamai et al. conclude, after having analyzed 41 randomized clinicaltrials assessing 12 different vaccines, that:
- Compared to placebo, most vaccines reduce, or likely reduce, the proportion of participants with confirmed symptomatic COVID-19
- There is high-certainty evidence that some of them reduce severe or critical disease
- There is probably little or no difference between most vaccines and placebo for serious adverse events
Logically, the authors underline the fact that further research is needed to:
- Evaluate the long-term effect of vaccines
- Compare different vaccines and vaccine schedules
- Assess vaccine efficacy and safety in specific populations
- Include outcomes such as preventing long COVID-19
And that “Ongoing evaluation of vaccine efficacy and effectiveness against emerging variants of concern is also vital.”
We at Lifency support the medical and scientific communities in their communication efforts towards the general public that have proven crucial especially in times of pandemic.
*Graña C, Ghosn L, Evrenoglou T, Jarde A, Minozzi S, Bergman H, Buckley BS, Probyn K, Villanueva G, Henschke N, Bonnet H, Assi R, Menon S, Marti M, Devane D, Mallon P, Lelievre JD, Askie LM, Kredo T, Ferrand G, Davidson M, Riveros C, Tovey D, Meerpohl JJ, Grasselli G, Rada G, Hróbjartsson A, Ravaud P, Chaimani A, Boutron I. Efficacy and safety of COVID-19 vaccines. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2022 Dec 7;12(12):CD015477. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD015477. PMID: 36473651; PMCID: PMC9726273.