Written question WQ95573
- Asked by
- James EvansConservative
- To be answered by
- Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 6 days
Question
How is the Government a) ensuring that healthcare professionals are equipped with the necessary guidelines to manage occurrences of myocarditis and pericarditis, and b) communicating to the public the potential risks of certain vaccinations increasing occurrences of these conditions?
Answer
Answered by Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care
The Welsh Government expects healthcare professionals to investigate and manage the symptoms of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (inflammation of the lining around the heart) in line with clinical and best practice guidelines.
These diseases are most commonly caused by a viral infection, with the resulting immune response producing inflammation of the heart. Whilst many people recover without any lasting effects, there are rare cases where severe inflammation can cause scarring and longer-term damage. People who believe they may be experiencing symptoms of myocarditis or pericarditis should seek medical assistance immediately for further investigation.
All vaccines used in the UK have been approved as safe and effective by the independent expert organisation, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The MHRA continually monitors safety during widespread use of any vaccine to ensure vaccines are performing as expected, to identify any new side effects that may arise, and to ensure the benefits continue to outweigh the risks.
Information on the potential side effects of vaccines is available on the Public Health Wales website as well as being provided in writing to patients at the time of vaccination. Staff at clinics are also trained to answer any questions about this and each patient must give informed consent to receiving a vaccination.