Thread by @LonnieRhea

New article in the Guardian highlights how Lyme can completely destroy one's life. The author got several details about the Lyme vaccine wrong.
In the following thread I will provide some facts:
theguardian.com/science/2019/j…

LYMERix Vaccine Myth: "The data suggests it was highly effective, protecting against the disease in almost 90% of cases."
Fact: The vaccine required 3 doses. It was reported to be 50% effective after the second dose and only 73-78% effective after the third dose.

LYMErix Myth: "The death knell for LYMErix proved to be a theory that the vaccine could induce autoimmune reactions in humans."
Fact: Just prior to FDA approval of LYMErix, Dr. Allen Steere published his research documenting auto-immune responses to OspA cont...

...in a subset of patients who are born with a genetic defect known as HLA-DR4, which is found in about 30% of the population. Gross et al 1998 science.sciencemag.org/content/281/53…

LYMErix Myth: "hypothetical concerns from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) panel, which approved LYMErix, that the immune system might overreact and begin to attack healthy tissue along with the Borrelia bacteria."

FACT: LYMErix caused severe neurological complications in some patients that may have been related to asymptomatic pre-existing Lyme disease infections and/or HLA-DR defects. Marks et al, 2011 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21673416

LYMErix Myth: "Class action lawsuits were filed against LYMErix’s manufacturer after several incidents of arthritis were reported. But while the evidence suggested that these incidents were unconnected to the vaccine..."

Fact: LYMErix caused adverse events that ranged from mild to life-threatening illness, including symptoms of Lyme disease. In the FDA’s 2001 Safety Data Report there were 1,048 reports of injury following the vaccine, including 4 deaths, and 85 serious events.(references follow)

Ball R. (2001) Powerpoint on the Lymerix Vaccine, LYMErix® Safety Data Reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), lymediseaseassociation.org/images/NewDire…

Latov N, et al. Neuropathy and cognitive impairment following vaccination with the OspA protein of Borrelia burgdorferi. J Peripher Nerv Syst. 2004 Sep;9(3):165-7. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15363064

Rose CD, Fawcett PT, Gibney KM. (2001) Arthritis following recombinant outer surface protein A vaccination for Lyme disease. J Rheumatol. Nov;28(11):2555-7. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11708435

LYMErix Myth: "sales began to plummet and in 2002, the product was withdrawn altogether." “You have a safe and effective vaccine licensed by the FDA and anti-vax campaigners reject it."

Fact: LYMErix resulted in multiple class-action lawsuits. After reports of injury the FDA requested GlaxoSmithKline, the makers of LYMErix, to expedite the reporting of their Phase IV trial, including all adverse events. LYMErix was pulled off the market citing “poor sales.”

Reference👆 Stricker R, Johnson L. (2014) The Lancet. Lyme disease vaccination: safety first. #LymeDisease #Vaccine #SafetyFirst thelancet.com/journals/lanin…