All living well guides
Medication safety
Vaccines on Immune-Suppressing Treatment
Vaccines protect you from infections that can be more serious when you take immune-suppressing medicines.
Video lesson
Why it matters
Flu, pneumonia, COVID-19 and shingles are more common and more dangerous on these treatments. Inactivated vaccines are safe.
What you can do
Get a yearly flu shot, pneumococcal vaccine, current COVID-19 vaccines and Shingrix (the non-live shingles vaccine). Live vaccines such as MMR, chickenpox and yellow fever are usually avoided on biologics. Ideally vaccinate before starting rituximab.
Call your care team if
You’re planning international travel or are unsure whether a vaccine is live.
At a glance
Topic
Medication safety
Reviewed by Farhan Tahir, MD, FACR
Questions about your own care?
Book an in-person or telehealth consultation with Dr. Tahir.
For education only. Don’t start, stop or change a medicine without talking to your care team.