Moderna and Pfizer will soon launch trials to evaluate the long-term risk of myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart muscle, with their COVID-19 vaccines, NBC News reported Nov. 12.
Ever since the COVID-19 vaccines were authorized for emergency use, researchers have been tracking the risk of myocarditis and pericarditis — another heart inflammation condition that affects the outer lining of the heart but has similar symptoms, such as chest pain, shortness of breath and a pounding heartbeat, according to the CDC.
In a recent study, Canadian researchers found that heart inflammation cases were two- to threefold higher after Moderna's vaccine compared to Pfizer's. The study concluded that the risk is still low, but multiple vaccine-makers will test their formulas for long-term health effects of myocarditis after COVID-19 vaccination, according to the CDC. The yearslong trials are set to begin in a few months.