The MPN Voice response to the article published on 11th March 2021 on the BBC news channel regarding a study assessing the effectiveness of the Pfizer vaccine and cancer patients – ‘Cancer patients are much less protected against COVID-19 than other people after one dose of the Pfizer vaccine, the first real-world study in this area suggests’.
The article is referencing a study carried out by teams in Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospital and King’s College, London and the Francis Crick Institute Research Team, into the effectiveness of the Pfizer vaccine after the first dose and the timing/gap for receiving the 2nd dose and how this will affect cancer patients. The study recruited 205 people, which included 151 with solid cancers, such as lung, breast and bowel, or blood cancers and tested them for antibodies and T-cells in their blood, which signals that the immune system can protect against illness from the virus in the future.
We are aware that this article will be of concern to MPN patients, and would like to respond that:
1. We do not know what antibody or T-cell responses are needed for immunity
2. There is no additional data on infections presented
3. Patients should continue to be cautious
4. No MPN patients were included in the study discussed today
Blood Cancer UK have also responded to the study, you can read their response here.
MPN COVID-19 Vaccination Survey
We invite you to take part in a survey being conducted by the teams at Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospital which is assessing the various aspects regarding COVID vaccines in people with MPNs, read more here…
