CDC and FDA have committed to monitoring recipients of two COVID-19 vaccines for Bell’s palsy, a type of facial paralysis.
FDA, however, concluded that there is insufficient data to determine whether the mRNA-based vaccines from Moderna (NSDQ:MRNA) and Pfizer (NYSE:PFE)/BioNTech (NSDQ:BNTX) are linked to the condition, which is often temporary.
Both vaccines use messenger RNA technology, which is novel for vaccines.
In Phase 3 clinical trials from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, a handful of patients developed the condition. Four patients in the vaccine arm of the Pfizer-BioNTech trial developed Bell’s palsy and none in the placebo group. Three patients in the Moderna trial’s vaccine arm developed the condition, and one in the placebo arm.
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