BCG Vaccine Not Effective Against COVID-19

Emily Harris

doi:10.1001/jama.2023.7763

Medical News in Brief

May 3, 2023

BCG Vaccine Not Effective Against COVID-19

Emily Harris

Article Information

JAMA. 2023;329(20):1730. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.7763

Although the bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine is used primarily to protect against tuberculosis, previous research has suggested it might also guard against other infections. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers hypothesized that vaccination with BCG, which seems to cause epigenetic changes in immune cells that promote a stronger immune response against pathogens, might be effective against COVID-19.

However, the BCG-Denmark vaccine does not result in a lower risk of symptomatic or severe COVID-19 within 6 months of administration, according to a randomized clinical trial that included 3988 health care workers. There was no evidence of vaccine-related adverse effects, the researchers reported in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Article Information

Published Online: May 3, 2023. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.7763

2 Comments for this article

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September 17, 2023

Studies of BCG for Covid-19 end prematurely

Barbara Brooks, Diploma of Nursing | Retired Pediatric RN

In a randomized trial of BCG to protect against infection among people with type 1 diabetes, patients who received BCG at least 2 years prior to the pandemic were 92% protected against early variants of Covid-19 (1). Since BCG is slow acting, we need a large study to see how patients who receive several doses of BCG fare against multiple pathogens. Since we can't possibly have vaccines for everything, BCG might provide some protection, at the very least decreasing inflammation. However nearly every study of BCG for Covid-19 ended prior to the 2 year mark, and full protection takes a very long time, depending on the pathogen. We have known for years that BCG provides diverse immunity. If we had vaccinated many subjects after the H1N1 flu crisis, the subjects might have been protected from RSV, many viruses and Covid-19. Many seniors would like the additional protection, even with the risks.

Reference

1. Multiple BCG vaccinations for the prevention of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases in type 1 diabetes. Cell Reports Medicine. 2022 Sep 20;3(9):100728. doi: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100728.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST: None Reported

July 10, 2024

I am a BCG Vaccine Test Baby from the 60's

Linda Israel, N/A | N/A

For years I have searched the CDC website, the internet, and even gone back to Chicago to learn as much as I could on a scar I have on my forearm. Later I learned through my continued search that the BCG Vaccine was being tested on children in Chicago Ill. I can say with certainty that I am a BCG Vaccine test baby from 1966 from Chicago, Illinois's Cook County Hospital. I was never able to obtain my records as I am sure that they were sealed; however, I do believe that this vaccine is very likely tied to me having extremely mild symptoms after I contracted COVID for the first time this month. My systems lasted roughly 7 days. In addition, I have not contracted the flu nor do I get flu shots; and nothing has been able to affect my lungs. You should do more research on this. I do think you ended this research prematurely.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST: None Reported

BCG Vaccine Not Effective Against COVID-19

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