Resolution of Longstanding Unilateral Facial Palsy after Receiving BNT-162b2 Vaccine: off Target Beneficial Effect or Reverse Nocebo Phenomenon?

A patient had complete left facial palsy followed by minimal residual left facial palsy for the next nine years. In anticipation of oncoming waves of new SARS-CoV-2 variants, and after due consideration, he took the BNT-162b2 vaccine. To his surprise his residual facial palsy gradually and almost entirely recovered after completing the two-dose vaccination, with no relapse up to six months’ followup. The mechanism and significance of such an off-target beneficial effect is discussed with conceptual projection into the future development.