There are several important questions for IBD patients and their clinical teams during the COVID pandemic. Is the risk increased of severe COVID outcomes? What is the impact of immunosuppressant medications and coritcosteroids? Should patients get vaccinated and with what vaccine and which regime? Will the vaccines work as well and stimulate as durable a serological response in IBD patients on immunosuppressant medicines?
18 months into the pandemic we have answers to many of these questions. Many studies have systematically addressed serological responses to vaccination - notably the 7000 person CLARITY study of IBD patients on infliximab and vedolizumab in the UK.
I will present the full suite of CLARITY research and put these important data into context for gastroenterologists and IBD patients.