The COVID-19 vaccine should be recommended for patients with Parkinson’s disease, experts say

Patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and health care professionals who care for them have expressed concerns about the efficacy and safety of the COVID-19 vaccine in the specific context of PD and its symbolic treatment. In a statement published in the Journal of Parkinson’s disease, a set of experts addresses these concerns from an evidence – based perspective. Their conclusion is that COVID-19 vaccination with approved vaccines should be recommended for people with PD, unless there is a specific contraindication.

“The advent of these vaccines has created hope for people with PD, as this can help reduce the risk of becoming infected with the severe respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) syndrome, which could seriously endanger life. disease, at least among those with more advanced PD, “explains lead author Bastiaan R. Bloem, MD, PhD, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior; Department of Neurology, Nijmegen, the Netherlands, and co-managing editor of the Journal of Parkinson’s disease.

Based on the authors’ interpretation of the scientific literature, the growing knowledge of broad-spectrum vaccination in the general population, and comments from the Scientific Affairs Committee of the International Association of Parkinson’s and Disorder Movement (IPMDS-SIC), they take home messages regarding COIVID The -19 vaccine for people with PD is:

• Compared to the general population, the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection causing major life-threatening disease is higher for people living with PD, at least among the population. those with more advanced disease.

• It is not known or expected that the approved vaccines based on mRNA and developing viral vector vaccines interact with the neurodegenerative process in PD.
• The types or frequency of side effects of these vaccines in people with PD do not appear to be different from the general population.
• The vaccines also look safe for older adults, but caution is needed for the specific subgroup of frail and terminally ill elderly people with PD living in long-term care facilities.
• The COVID-19 vaccine is not known to inhibit the conventional therapies at PD.
• People vaccinated with PD must continue to adhere to public health guidelines to reduce the incidence and spread of COVID-19.
• Opinions can change, and we need to consciously monitor emerging data from both real-world trials and vaccine programs.

The authors strongly encourage a visit to the International Parkinson’s and Disorder Movement website where recommendations will be updated as new data is published based on further knowledge, clinical trials and real clinical practice: https: //www.movementdisorders.org/MDS -Files1 / COVID-19vaccination01042021.pdf (for medical professionals) and https://www.movementdisorders.org/COVID-19-Pandemic-MDS/MDS-COVID-19-Vaccine-Statement -for-Patients.htm (for people with PD).

Taking into account all the current evidence, this may be the light at the end of the tunnel. We encourage our community of COVID-19 vaccine movement disorder specialists to recommend approved vaccines for their patients with PD or their responsible caregivers, unless there is a specific contraindication. Finally, even after vaccination, it is important that people with PD continue to comply with public health guidelines to reduce and reduce the spread and spread of COVID-19 as recommended by the World Health Organization and the UK. -Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. “

Professor Bastiaan R. Bloem, MD, PhD, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center