International Consensus (ICON): allergic reactions to vaccines

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Vaccinology
• Public Health

Background:

• Routine immunization is a critical public health intervention reducing infectious disease mortality and morbidity.
• Allergic reactions to vaccines, though rare, can be life-threatening, necessitating standardized management protocols.
• Global vaccine administration highlights the need for international consensus on evaluating and managing vaccine-related allergies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish international consensus on the evaluation and management of allergic reactions to vaccines.
• To provide practitioners with guidelines for identifying and managing patients with vaccine allergies.

Main Methods:

• Literature review conducted with active participation from major allergy and immunology organizations worldwide.
• Formation of a committee with international representation, vaccine safety expertise, and diverse clinical backgrounds (allergist/immunologists and vaccinologists).

Main Results:

• Consensus achieved on defining immediate allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis.
• Agreed-upon approaches for distinguishing association from causality in vaccine reactions.
• Developed strategies for managing patients with a history of allergic reactions to vaccines or vaccine components.

Conclusions:

• Comprehensive, internationally accepted guidelines for identifying allergic reactions post-immunization are now available.
• A framework is provided for the evaluation and management of patients experiencing allergic reactions to vaccines or with known allergies to vaccine components.
• These guidelines aim to improve global patient safety and confidence in vaccination.