"Polyethylene glycol, used as a stabilizer in nanomedicine formulations, has recently been indicated as the possible cause of the anaphylactic reactions against the COVID-19 mRNA-based vaccines...
Polyethylene glycol (PEG), the polymer used in these vaccines for coating the SLNPs [solid lipid nanoparticles], has been indicated as the principal suspect for these anaphylactic reactions. PEG has a broad range of applications in many other products, such as cosmetics, foods and pharmaceutical preparations. Its activity is crucial to maintain the colloidal stability of nanoparticles in biological fluids and to reduce their uptake by filter organs, improving their efficacy and safety after inoculation....
[A]lthough anaphylaxis occurs rarely after vaccination, this is a life-threatening allergic reaction that demands the development of safer drug delivery systems, vaccines and bio-inspired stabilizing agents... Continuous data collection on rare potential risks, and active surveillance of vulnerable populations, such as people with a proven history of allergic reactions, can help to identify the risks of PEG exposure and the development of increasingly effective and safe vaccines."
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