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Rare PEG Allergy Triggered Postvaccination Anaphylaxis

Educational Objective
To identify the key insights or developments described in this article
1 Credit CME

Researchers in the UK have linked anaphylaxis in a patient who received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine with her allergy to polyethylene glycol (PEG), which stabilizes lipid nanoparticles that deliver mRNA in the vaccine to cells in the body.

Although anaphylaxis after receiving an mRNA vaccine is rare, the woman had required adrenaline after a previous severe systemic allergic reaction to azithromycin that contained PEG. Her systemic reactions to consumer products like shampoo, toothpaste, and mouthwash containing PEG were less severe.

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CME Disclosure Statement: Unless noted, all individuals in control of content reported no relevant financial relationships. If applicable, all relevant financial relationships have been mitigated.

Researchers in the UK have linked anaphylaxis in a patient who received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine with her allergy to polyethylene glycol (PEG), which stabilizes lipid nanoparticles that deliver mRNA in the vaccine to cells in the body.

Although anaphylaxis after receiving an mRNA vaccine is rare, the woman had required adrenaline after a previous severe systemic allergic reaction to azithromycin that contained PEG. Her systemic reactions to consumer products like shampoo, toothpaste, and mouthwash containing PEG were less severe.

Suspecting that an undiagnosed PEG allergy had caused her reactions, the researchers performed skin prick testing. The woman developed a systemic reaction to a 1% concentration of PEG 4000 that required treatment with adrenaline, chlorphenamine, and hydrocortisone.

AMA CME Accreditation Information

Credit Designation Statement: The American Medical Association designates this Journal-based CME activity activity for a maximum of 1.00  AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to:

  • 1.00 Medical Knowledge MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine's (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program;;
  • 1.00 Self-Assessment points in the American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery’s (ABOHNS) Continuing Certification program;
  • 1.00 MOC points in the American Board of Pediatrics’ (ABP) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program;
  • 1.00 Lifelong Learning points in the American Board of Pathology’s (ABPath) Continuing Certification program; and
  • 1.00 credit toward the CME [and Self-Assessment requirements] of the American Board of Surgery’s Continuous Certification program

It is the CME activity provider's responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting MOC credit.

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