The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare believes that young men who receive the COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) vaccine from Moderna Pharmaceuticals have a very small chance of developing side effects such as myocarditis, and intends to recommend that young men in their late teens and early 20s receive the Pfizer BNT vaccine instead.
The Japan Broadcasting Association (NHK) reported that some foreign people who received the Moderna vaccine experienced very rare side effects such as myocarditis and pericarditis, mostly in young men.
In Japan, according to the Ministry of Health and Labour, as of September 12, myocarditis and pericarditis occurred in males after receiving the Moderna or Pfizer BNT vaccine.
In terms of ratio, 17.1 cases of myocarditis or pericarditis per 1 million men in their 20s and 21.6 cases per 1 million men in their 10s after receiving the Modena vaccine, and 4 cases per 1 million men in their 20s and 19.7 cases per 1 million men in their 10s after receiving the Pfizer BNT vaccine.
The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare said that the occurrence of myocarditis and pericarditis is very rare and the symptoms are not serious, so the benefits of vaccination are still relatively large; however, the people concerned revealed that the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare intends to explain the risks involved and suggest that young men in their teens and 20s consider switching to Pfizer BNT vaccine.
If the first dose of Modena vaccine has been administered, it is also proposed that the second dose be switched to Pfizer BNT vaccine.
The Ministry of Health and Labour will hold an expert meeting tomorrow for consultation, but it is expected that the scientific basis of this policy and the age group recommended not to take the Modena vaccine may make the discussion quite difficult.
The report mentioned that Finland has stopped administering the Modena vaccine to men under 30 years old for the same reason, and Sweden has also stopped administering Modena to young people under 30 years old and switched to the Pfizer BNT vaccine.
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