The Moderna and Myocarditis Link Needs More Study
The risks of heart inflammation are tiny, but the findings could have implications for how mRNA vaccines are delivered in the future.
A dose of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccination being administered.
Photographer: Bloomberg/BloombergSome 71 million Americans have been vaccinated with the Moderna vaccine. The company has seen its stock price soar. But last week, Moderna announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration would take more time to decide whether the company’s two-dose vaccine could be used on children aged 12 to 17 after studies showed the vaccine resulted in a higher incidence of myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart, in males.
Europe approved the Moderna vaccine for use in adolescents in July. But Finland has paused use in young men; Sweden, Germany and other European countries have also announced age-related restrictions. Moderna’s stock has taken a hit, too, though part of that is related to a battle with the U.S. National Institutes of Health over patent rights.