Drug interactions
Bcg vaccine live + Cyclosporin
Severity: Contraindicated
Bcg vaccine live and Cyclosporin: contraindicated interaction.
Last updated
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Summary
BCG is a live attenuated vaccine, and in a patient on cyclosporin the organism may replicate uncontrolled and cause disseminated BCG infection. The immunosuppression may also prevent an adequate protective response.
What this interaction means in plain words
Bcg vaccine live and Cyclosporin are not normally used together. Taking them at the same time is expected to cause harm or make one of them unsafe, so a different medicine is usually chosen for one of the two.
Why it happens
Calcineurin-inhibitor immunosuppression impairs cell-mediated immunity needed to control the live attenuated organism and to mount a vaccine response.
What to do
Do not give BCG to patients taking cyclosporin. Defer live vaccination until immunosuppressant therapy has been stopped for an appropriate interval, generally at least 3 months, as advised by a specialist.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Is there an alternative to one of these two medicines for me?
- If both are essential, who is monitoring me and how often?
- Which symptoms mean I should stop and seek help straight away?
Pro+ members
Unlock the full page
Create an account and start a Pro+ trial to unlock the full management advice for Bcg vaccine live and Cyclosporin, the additional notes, the evidence detail and the whole-prescription interaction checker.
- Full clinical management advice
- Additional notes
- Evidence detail
- Interaction checker for a whole prescription
Try Pro+ free for 14 days on the web. No card needed.
Other interactions of Cyclosporin
- Adenovirus types 4 and 7 live + Cyclosporin Contraindicated
- Aliskiren + Cyclosporin Contraindicated
- Bosentan + Cyclosporin Contraindicated
- Cidofovir + Cyclosporin Contraindicated
- Cyclosporin + Dengue vaccine Contraindicated
- Cyclosporin + Elagolix Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Bcg vaccine live with Cyclosporin?
MediHelp rates the interaction as contraindicated. Bcg vaccine live and Cyclosporin are not normally used together. Taking them at the same time is expected to cause harm or make one of them unsafe, so a different medicine is usually chosen for one of the two. BCG is a live attenuated vaccine, and in a patient on cyclosporin the organism may replicate uncontrolled and cause disseminated BCG infection. The immunosuppression may also prevent an adequate protective response.
How serious is the interaction between Bcg vaccine live and Cyclosporin?
MediHelp rates it contraindicated, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Do not give BCG to patients taking cyclosporin. Defer live vaccination until immunosuppressant therapy has been stopped for an appropriate interval, generally at least 3 months, as advised by a specialist.
What other medicines interact with Cyclosporin?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Cyclosporin with, for example, Adenovirus types 4 and 7 live, Aliskiren, Bosentan. The full list is on the Cyclosporin page.
Full monographs, dosing and an interaction checker in the MediHelp app
Open the complete reference, check multi-drug interactions and use dosing tools in the MediHelp app.
