PEG allergy - A COVID-19 pandemic-made problem? A German perspective

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Public Health
• Pharmacovigilance

Background:

• Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is a widely used excipient with a historically low incidence of allergic reactions.
• The introduction of PEG-containing COVID-19 vaccines significantly heightened public awareness and concern regarding potential allergies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on public interest in polyethylene glycol (PEG) allergy in Germany.
• To analyze the trend of published PEG allergy cases globally in relation to public interest.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective longitudinal study analyzed Google search volumes for "PEG allergy" in Germany (February 2018–January 2022).
• PubMed case reports and series for "PEG allergy" (1977–January 2022) were reviewed to identify medically confirmed cases.

Main Results:

• Google searches for "PEG allergy/testing" in Germany increased over 200-fold during the pandemic, from negligible levels to over 55,000 monthly queries.
• Searches related to "vaccination" and "adverse effects/allergy" also saw substantial increases.
• In contrast, the number of published "PEG allergy" cases increased only 2.5-fold, with a total of 211 cases identified worldwide since 1977.

Conclusions:

• COVID-19 vaccination significantly amplified public interest in PEG allergy, outpacing scientific publication rates.
• The demand for PEG allergy testing appears driven by public awareness rather than a rise in confirmed cases.
• Healthcare providers may face increased consultations for PEG allergy testing due to public perception, not necessarily increased medical need.