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Messenger RNA covid-19 vaccines: Prescrire's in-depth analysis as of end February 2021

 COVID-19  The available clinical trial data have led the editors of independent French medical journal Prescrire to assign these vaccines the seldom-granted rating "A Real Advance".

  • As of 2 March 2021, two messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) covid-19 vaccines have been authorised in the European Union: the covid-19 mRNA vaccine BNT162b2, international nonproprietary name (INN) tozinameran (Comirnaty°, from Pfizer and BioNTech), and the covid-19 vaccine mRNA-1273 (Covid-19 Vaccine Moderna°).
     
  • Prescrire published a preliminary analysis of each of these vaccines as soon as marketing authorisation (MA) was granted in the Europan Union, in order to provide some useful points of reference for healthcare professionals. These analyses were published online:
    • "The covid-19 messenger RNA vaccine tozinameran (Comirnaty°, from Pfizer and BioNTech) in elderly patients: limited data, many uncertainties" (23 December 2020) > HERE
    • "The covid-19 messenger RNA vaccine from Moderna: as with the tozinameran vaccine (Comirnaty°, Pfizer/BioNTech), limited data and unanswered questions" (6 January 2021)" > HERE
  • In the meanwhile, ongoing work by Prescrire's editorial staff has allowed more in-depth analysis of the detailed clinial trial data, of an epidemiological study following the vaccination of a significant portion of the population of Israel, and of various reports of adverse effects during the vaccination campaign.
     
  • This in-depth analysis will be published in the April issue of La Revue Prescrire. The full text in French is available online to subscribers to the French journal, and via L'Application Prescrire. Excerpts in English will be published in the June issue of Prescrire International and online.
     
  •  A REAL ADVANCE  Based on the clinical trial data, and despite the uncertainties remaining as of end February 2021, Prescrire's editors have concluded that the harm-benefit balance of tozinameran and of the mRNA-1273 Sars-CoV-2 vaccine in the prevention of covid-19 disease is clearly favourable in many situations. And Prescrire has assigned both these vaccines the seldom-granted rating "A Real Advance".

©Prescrire 2 March 2021

• Source: 

"Tozinaméran (Comirnaty°), vaccin covid-19 ARNm-1273 (Covid-19 Vaccine Moderna°) et pandémie de covid-19" Rev Prescrire 2021; 41 (450): advance publication 2 March 2021. French version > HERE

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Prescrire's rating:
A Real Advance
 A REAL ADVANCE 


For more information:
"The covid-19 messenger RNA
vaccine tozinameran (Comirnaty°,
from Pfizer and BioNTech) in
elderly patients: limited data,
many uncertainties"
(December 2020)
Free

"The covid-19 messenger RNA
vaccine from Moderna: as
with the tozinameran vaccine
(Comirnaty°, Pfizer/BioNTech),
limited data and unanswered
questions"
(January 2021)
Free

 COVID-19 
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