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Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,745
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Pfizer vaccine and Cancer Patients


@Still Raining wrote:

My oncology group has been very particularly about this.  Patients are also separated.

 

We have been told to keep away from groups, unmasked, and unvaccinated.


Looks like a mass clinical trial out there right now.

 


@Still Raining 

 

Our hematology/oncology clinic is vaccinating every Thursday, patients and family members.  Family members are not allowed in the clinic with patients unless patients are disabled to the point they cannot navigate without assistance. 

 

By offering the vaccine to both patients and family members, that makes it more acceptable for family members to accompany their loved ones. 

 

When weather permits, there is a triage team outside in a pavillion area, taking temperatures, assessing before you enter.  Then you sit down outside on park benches until your name iscalled.

 

That, however, changes when weather is too cold, too rainy or stormy, but they have a very large lobby and waiting area with seating and then you are called back to another seating area, then either to the lab or whichever area you are appointed with.  All areas are with social distancing, masks required and staff wear both masks and protective shields as well as zipped-up disposable jumpsuits.

 

There will always be risks but this is much better than some.  Your clinic sounds like it is also taking precautions.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,950
Registered: ‎07-18-2010

Re: Pfizer vaccine and Cancer Patients

[ Edited ]

@Jersey Born wrote:

@Bhvbum - The problem with your statement is that it conflates and confuses SARS-CoV-2 (actual virus) infection with COVID-19 (infection symptoms only) prevention or symptom reduction.

 

SARS-CoV-2 is the virus.

 

COVID-19 is the conglomeration of illness symptoms one experiences if they develop symptomatic infection. 

 

The mRNA shots (which are gene therapies, rather than vaccinations) were found to reduce symptoms of COVID-19, not prevent infection with the virus known as SARS-CoV-2.  

 

So, If these novel mRNA and DNA shots are declared 95% effective in stopping one or more symptoms of COVID-19, that says nothing at all about prevention of infection with SARS-CoV-2.  This is akin to the confusion surrounding HIV -- the virus, and AIDS -- the symptoms and illness that not everyone with HIV infection experiences.  

 


What my statement says is absolutely correct, getting the vaccine will keep you out of the hospital and off a ventilator. Of course it's not 100% guaranteed but like I said if I had a 95% chance of winning the lottery why would I wait and hold out for 100%?

Or that's at least what the experts from the CDC say:

COVID-19 vaccination will help keep you from getting COVID-19

  • All COVID-19 vaccines currently available in the United States have been shown to be highly effective at preventing COVID-19. Learn more about the different COVID-19 vaccines.
  • All COVID-19 vaccines that are in development are being carefully evaluated in clinical trials and will be authorized or approved only if they make it substantially less likely you’ll get COVID-19. Learn more about how federal partners are ensuring COVID-19 vaccines work.
  • Based on what we know about vaccines for other diseases and early data from clinical trials, experts believe that getting a COVID-19 vaccine may also help keep you from getting seriously ill even if you do get COVID-19.
  • Getting vaccinated yourself may also protect people around you, particularly people at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
  • Experts continue to conduct more studies about the effect of COVID-19 vaccination on severity of illness from COVID-19, as well as its ability to keep people from spreading the virus that causes COVID-19.

 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,970
Registered: ‎03-16-2010

Re: Pfizer vaccine and Cancer Patients


@Icegoddess wrote:

This doesn't mean that cancer patients can't get the vaccine, just probably shouldn't get the Pfizer one.  I have a friend who is getting ready to start cancer treatments, so I sent him this information.  He said just his luck, Pfizer is the one that Vandy (where his oncologist is) is giving out.  So, he's looking to try and find a different vaccine.

 

I actually didn't thnk it was recommended for patients going through chemo to get the vaccine.  Maybe that advice has changed since early on.


_______________________________________________________

@Icegoddess, it is a very important study but the findings would not be surprising at all.  Cancer patients that are undergoing treatment have immune systems that are suppressed so that they will not have the same immune response as other people.

 

All of the vaccines would probably be the same, whether Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, Oxford, etc.  

 

If you notice the subjects in the group had a good immune response at 3 weeks after the first, which is what we would want to see.  So they do get a good immune response after the second vaccination given at 3 weeks.

 

I really caution about advising anyone to take any action other than what their doctor recommends.  To ascertain that your friend does not need to be vaccinated with Pfizer is misrepresenting the entire study and what is already known about cancer patients and immune response to vaccination.  It just validates that the 2nd vaccination is imperative for those individuals so that they receive the highest immune response possible for them. 


* Freedom has a taste the protected will never know *
Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,970
Registered: ‎03-16-2010

Re: Pfizer vaccine and Cancer Patients


@tiny 2 wrote:

@Icegoddess wrote:

This doesn't mean that cancer patients can't get the vaccine, just probably shouldn't get the Pfizer one.  I have a friend who is getting ready to start cancer treatments, so I sent him this information.  He said just his luck, Pfizer is the one that Vandy (where his oncologist is) is giving out.  So, he's looking to try and find a different vaccine.

 

I actually didn't thnk it was recommended for patients going through chemo to get the vaccine.  Maybe that advice has changed since early on.


@Icegoddess 

 

The problem is not the Pfizer vaccine. The problem is that those of us that are on chemo drugs have immune systems that are suppressed and cannot respond as well to a vaccine... any vaccine. The Pfizer vaccine has the highest efficacy. It would be best for him to be vaccinated as soon as possible and get the second dose in 21 days according to this. The problem in the article is that in the UK, the 2nd dose is being delayed. The data is showing the best response to be with the 21 day interval as it is being given here.


_________________________________________________________

 

@tiny 2,  and there you have it!   Yes, this isn't any different than what we see in cancer patients with influenza vaccinations, pneumonia vaccinations ,etc.   

 

So being vaccinated with Pfizer according to protocol is exactly what this study supported.  


* Freedom has a taste the protected will never know *
Honored Contributor
Posts: 11,922
Registered: ‎03-19-2010

Re: Pfizer vaccine and Cancer Patients


@pitdakota wrote:

@Icegoddess wrote:

This doesn't mean that cancer patients can't get the vaccine, just probably shouldn't get the Pfizer one.  I have a friend who is getting ready to start cancer treatments, so I sent him this information.  He said just his luck, Pfizer is the one that Vandy (where his oncologist is) is giving out.  So, he's looking to try and find a different vaccine.

 

I actually didn't thnk it was recommended for patients going through chemo to get the vaccine.  Maybe that advice has changed since early on.


_______________________________________________________

@Icegoddess, it is a very important study but the findings would not be surprising at all.  Cancer patients that are undergoing treatment have immune systems that are suppressed so that they will not have the same immune response as other people.

 

All of the vaccines would probably be the same, whether Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, Oxford, etc.  

 

If you notice the subjects in the group had a good immune response at 3 weeks after the first, which is what we would want to see.  So they do get a good immune response after the second vaccination given at 3 weeks.

 

I really caution about advising anyone to take any action other than what their doctor recommends.  To ascertain that your friend does not need to be vaccinated with Pfizer is misrepresenting the entire study and what is already known about cancer patients and immune response to vaccination.  It just validates that the 2nd vaccination is imperative for those individuals so that they receive the highest immune response possible for them. 


@pitdakota I didn't advise my friend in any way. He has plenty of doctors to do that.  I simply sent him the info which was on a local news outlet's facebook page, basically like i did here. Just like I didn't advise anybody here to do anythng with the info. I just copied/pasted it.  What anybody does with the info is completely up to them.