Covid vaccine

Any news on whether transplant patients will be able to get the vaccine? Is it a live vaccine?

[AndrewT]

Dear Kidney1982,

I have already 'Posted', a reply, to this elsewhere.... and YES We Can. I have Spoken to Addenbrookes Hospital, one of Professor Jane's Registrars, apparently they ARE Safe for Immuno- Supressed Patients. I made the Call, the day before yesterday.

AndrewT

[Hidden in reply to AndrewT]

Thank you Andrew.

[Jleisner in reply to AndrewT]

I would suggest consulting with your doctor. My transplant doctor told me not to get the vaccine yet. He said we have no idea what the effect will be for people who are immunosupressed.

[CNeb]

In theory they should work, but has not been tested on transplant recipients during the trial phases. I’ve spoken with a Professor of Transplant at John’s Hopkins and they said once they get the vaccine they will be conducting testing. The virus is based upon the messenger RNA and is not a live virus. Out of the 29 proteins of COVID, only 1 protein is used to produce an antibody reaction. That protein is for the spike on the envelope of the virus.

[Drdetroit]

My transplant center said to wait until further testing. UPMC, Pittsburgh Pa

[WYOAnne NKF Ambassador]

Always consult with your nephrologist. We are all different with varying issues. So, we are all different. Listen to your doctor. My nephrologist wants me to be first in line to receive it. I had asked him about the fact that no transplant or CKD patients were in the study. He said they never are, and aren't in a study at a later date either. He called U of CO transplant and said it was safe and should not interfere with immunosuppressed patients. cNeb is right, about the fact they use only 1 protein to produce the antibody reaction. I worry more about catching COVID than I do about the vaccine.I am 21+ years post transplant.

[Hidden in reply to WYOAnne]

Just in case, maybe I'll be 10th or something.

[WYOAnne NKF Ambassador]

It's not a live vaccine...Do you get a flu shot every year? I wonder what are you afraid of? Have you talked this over with your nephrologist?

[PeterChao]

Based on all of the responses, it’s easy to see why they call it “practicing medicine”.

The differing answers come from different approaches that each of the doctors may have. Some are more aggressive than others.

Like many others have said, it comes down what your doctor recommends you do and how comfortable you feel about it.

I have not heard back from my UCLA nephrologist yet.

[ThisAdventure]

This is definitely a question for your medical team as to whether or not you can take it - and which one as there are now a few.

In terms of the news I’ve read, it is less effective in immunocompromised people (as are other vaccines). And there has not been any completed testing on this group yet so no data on safety or actual effectiveness.

But there is phase 3 testing underway for immunocompromised people - an alternative option in development which sounds promising. My understanding is that you are given antibodies, rather than prompting your body to make its own (as with a vaccine response - which we don’t do effectively). It’s more expensive than a vaccine but hopefully a more effective option for us. Here’s an article from the European Pharmaceutical review on that.

google.co.za/amp/s/www.euro...

Here’s the link to the Reuters report on that:

uk.reuters.com/article/heal...

[bakermaker222]

Thank you Andrew. Good to know