European Society of Endocrinology (ESE)’s statement concerning COVID-19 vaccination: ‘follow the same recommendations for patients with stable endocrine disorders as for the general population’

February 2021

European Society of Endocrinology (ESE)’s statement concerning COVID-19 vaccination: ‘follow the same recommendations for patients with stable endocrine disorders as for the general population’

It has come to ESE’s attention that patients with endocrine disorders like autoimmune thyroiditis, have been declined to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. This has prompted ESE to release the following information.

 Trials that have led the European and US American health authorities EMA and FDA to authorize the first two vaccines included more than 40.000 and 30.000 volunteers, resp., aged from 16 to over 75 years of age. Among them were patients with diabetes, obesity, malignancies, HIV, chronic pulmonary disease as well as cerebrovascular and liver disease in stable health condition. Efficacy and safety were comparable in these patients to healthy subjects. In addition, the US Centers of Disease Control and Prevention state that persons with autoimmune conditions who have no contraindications to vaccination may receive an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. 

ESE therefore stresses that the recommendation for the COVID-19 vaccination in patients with stable endocrine disorders like autoimmune thyroiditis, Grave’s disease, Addison’s disease, pituitary adenomas, diabetes type 1 and 2 and obesity should not be different from the one for the general population. Patients with adrenal insufficiency should be informed that in case of side effects like fever sick day rules should be followed.

Anton Luger, ESE ExCo member responsible for ECAS
Andrea Giustina, ESE President
Robin Peeters, ESE Clinical Committee Chair, on behalf of ESE’s Clinical Committee

 A downloadable version of this statement can be found here.