4 ms·

> Like all of you I’m not an expert in the field, but from what I’ve skimmed online it seems like mRNA vaccines have never been used widespread in humans before

> Like all of you I’m not an expert in the field, but from what I’ve skimmed online it seems like mRNA vaccines have never been used widespread in humans before? Moreover there haven't been any long-term studies... There is a very very small chance that something strange happens [0]. > Am I crazy for being nervous about taking an mRNA COVID shot? You're not crazy, but you're probably being unreasonable. The "gut-feeling" likelihood of something strange happening are very very low. [0] one mRNA-specific example, and one "new investigational drug" example: 1. the mRNA could somehow retrotranspose into your DNA, and cause problems. It's not seen in the lab but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen in vivo, it could also depend on what active retrotranspons you have inside of your cells. 2. the antigen could accidentally elicit an antibody response that activates an oncogenic receptor and increase your chances of getting cancer. I think it's important to note that these are plausible mechanisms and are probably untested/untestable at the scales that matter when you're delivering to millions of people. But plausible does not mean significant. Every time you put something in your body, whatever it is, if it's food from the grocery or that new whiskey that hit the market, you're taking on risk. And keep in mind how convoluted a mechanism it takes to get to the point where it's something risky.

fokinsean 6y ago
I recently came across this study which suggests it can retrotranspose into your DNA. From what I understand they weren't attempting to find that intentionally, but found it while looking into why people were testing positive for COVID many months after being infected and not currently infected. I'm not suggesting that the vaccines could do the same, but it's not that big of a leap to wonder if the virus can retranspose, then the vaccine could as well. Also I'm aware it's a preprint and not fully peer-reviewed yet, interesting nonetheless. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33330870/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33330870/
e_y_ 6y ago
Absent the cell already being cancerous, wouldn't it eventually die off or become targeted by the immune system (I'm not sure if the synthesized spike proteins are free-floating or if the cell becomes some kind of sacrifice for the immune system to kill and dissect)?
- dnautics 6y ago
  No, not necessarily.
franklyt 6y ago
To be fair, young and healthy and Covid 19 vaccine tread the waters of “reasonableness” when combined. The risk profiles in either direction are so small it’s very hard to discern a meaningful pattern. It probably just doesn’t matter at all what you do.
kolinko 6y ago
All those risks are orders of magnitude higher with Covid. Getting infected with it is like taking a 1000x dose of the vaccine, if we’re talking about the cancerogenity and reverse transcription risk.
- dnautics 6y ago
  hence: > You're not crazy, but you're probably being unreasonable

fokinsean 6y ago

I recently came across this study which suggests it can retrotranspose into your DNA. From what I understand they weren't attempting to find that intentionally, but found it while looking into why people were testing positive for COVID many months after being infected and not currently infected. I'm not suggesting that the vaccines could do the same, but it's not that big of a leap to wonder if the virus can retranspose, then the vaccine could as well. Also I'm aware it's a preprint and not fully peer-reviewed yet, interesting nonetheless. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33330870/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33330870/

e_y_ 6y ago

Absent the cell already being cancerous, wouldn't it eventually die off or become targeted by the immune system (I'm not sure if the synthesized spike proteins are free-floating or if the cell becomes some kind of sacrifice for the immune system to kill and dissect)?

dnautics 6y ago
No, not necessarily.

franklyt 6y ago

To be fair, young and healthy and Covid 19 vaccine tread the waters of “reasonableness” when combined. The risk profiles in either direction are so small it’s very hard to discern a meaningful pattern. It probably just doesn’t matter at all what you do.

kolinko 6y ago

All those risks are orders of magnitude higher with Covid. Getting infected with it is like taking a 1000x dose of the vaccine, if we’re talking about the cancerogenity and reverse transcription risk.

dnautics 6y ago
hence: > You're not crazy, but you're probably being unreasonable