Dr. Hospital Cipto Mangunkusumo Internal Medicine Specialist: Not True Only Moderna Can For Autoimmune

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JAKARTA - A specialist in internal medicine, subspecialty in hematology and medical oncology at Dr. Hospital Cipto Mangunkusumo, Prof. DR. dr. Aru Wisaksono Sudoyo, Sp.PD-KHOM, FACP rejects the assumption that some people believe that only Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine is safe for people with autoimmune disorders.

"It's not true that only Moderna can be used for autoimmunity", he said in a virtual media briefing on lung cancer, reported by Antara, Thursday, August 26.

Aru, who serves as chairman of the Indonesian Oncology Association (POI), stated that all COVID-19 vaccines could be given to those with autoimmune conditions depending on several things, such as whether their disease status was controlled or not, treatment and studies from their respective doctors.

Autoimmune disease is a condition when the immune system attacks the body's own organs. The immune system can usually tell the difference between foreign cells and your own cells. But in those with autoimmunity, the immune system mistakes parts of the body and then releases proteins called autoantibodies to attack healthy cells.

It is currently estimated that there are more than 80 types of diseases classified as autoimmune diseases and some of them are: lupus, multiple sclerosis, Graves' disease and Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

Furthermore, just like autoimmune patients, Aru also advises cancer patients to get the COVID-19 vaccine. According to him, exceptions are given to patients who are experiencing decreased immunity due to chemotherapy.

"The oncologist can state whether or not he can be (vaccinated). It's better to be ready to handle the side effects of the vaccine, sometimes just by resting or being given medication than if you get COVID-19", he said.

The same thing was also expressed by a specialist in internal medicine subspecialty hematology-medical oncology at Dr. Hospital Cipto Mangunkusumo, Dr. dr. Ikhwan Rinaldi, Sp.PD-KHOM, M.Epid. He stated that later doctors would provide recommendations to patients regarding whether or not he could be injected with the COVID-19 vaccine.