Medical Experts

There is very little information about the risk of the Pfizer (or any other vaccine for that matter) specific to CIDP. There no reports that I have been able to find indicating that these vaccines precipitate worsening in CIDP. There is abundant evidence that the Pfizer vaccine is safe for people who have had GBS and, by analogy, we would expect it to be safe for people with CIDP. What is clear is that the risk of COVID infection is several orders of magnitude greater than any risk that might attach to the vaccines. I strongly recommend that you get vaccinated. Please discuss this with your GP and, if possible, with the neurologist who is treating your CIDP.

I am sorry but this request is beyond the scope of the Medical Advisory Board. It could be seen as getting involved with the care of another doctor’s patient. I can say that having had GBS is not a reason not to get the COVID vaccine and that the severity of previous GBS does not increase the risk of getting vaccinated.

In one study, over 700 people who had previously had GBS had the Pfizer vaccine and no one had the GBS return so it looks as if the Pfizer vaccine is safe for people who have had GBS. It is certainly safer than getting COVID.

Here is my response to the same question a few days ago.

Nothing in medicine is 100% safe but the safety of all the COVID vaccines is extremely high. There have been only a handful of cases of GBS following the Pfizer vaccine after nearly 6 billion doses given and I have been unable to find reports of any CIDP exacerbations. The risk with the J&J vaccine (not yet available in NZ) might be slightly higher but it is still extremely safe. Remember that almost all serious cases and deaths from COVID-19 have occurred in unvaccinated individuals and the risk of the disease is much higher than the risk of the vaccine. You should also know that you are much more likely to get GBS following COVID than you are to get it following vaccination. You can find an article in the GBS newsletter and on the website summarizing what we know about COVID vaccination in GBS as of September 2021. I will update that information every 3 months in case the situation changes. There is no reason to think that people like you have had GBS/CIDP should get the vaccine at any different interval; i.e, 3-6 weeks between the 1st and 2nd jabs. As with all medical interventions, including vaccination, you should discuss these issues with your GP.

Hi Julie: Nothing in medicine is 100% safe but the safety of all the COVID vaccines is extremely high. There have been only a handful of cases of GBS following the Pfizer vaccine after nearly 6 billion doses given and I have been unable to find reports of any CIDP exacerbations. The risk with the J&J vaccine (not yet available in NZ) might be slightly higher but it is still extremely safe. Remember that almost all serious cases and deaths from COVID-19 have occurred in unvaccinated individuals and the risk of the disease is much higher than the risk of the vaccine. You should also know that you are much more likely to get GBS following COVID than you are to get it following vaccination. You can find an article in the GBS newsletter and on the website summarizing what we know about COVID vaccination in GBS as of September 2021. I will update that information every 3 months in case the situation changes. There is no reason to think that people like you have had GBS/CIDP should get the vaccine at any different interval; i.e, 3-6 weeks between the 1st and 2nd jabs. As with all medical interventions, including vaccination, you should discuss these issues with your GP.