Drug interactions
Bcg vaccine live + Dexamethasone
Severity: Contraindicated
Bcg vaccine live and Dexamethasone: 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 bacterial vaccine, and immunosuppression from dexamethasone may allow disseminated BCG infection while reducing vaccine response.
What this interaction means in plain words
Bcg vaccine live and Dexamethasone 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
Corticosteroid immunosuppression impairs control of live attenuated mycobacteria and reduces vaccine immunogenicity.
What to do
Do not give BCG during immunosuppressive dexamethasone therapy; defer until treatment has stopped for the interval recommended by local guidance.
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?
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Other interactions of Dexamethasone
- Dexamethasone + Mifepristone Contraindicated
- Dexamethasone + Rilpivirine Contraindicated
- Dexamethasone + Smallpox vaccine live Contraindicated
- Dexamethasone + Varicella virus vaccine live Contraindicated
- Dexamethasone + Yellow fever vaccine Contraindicated
- Dexamethasone + Zoster vaccine live Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Bcg vaccine live with Dexamethasone?
MediHelp rates the interaction as contraindicated. Bcg vaccine live and Dexamethasone 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 bacterial vaccine, and immunosuppression from dexamethasone may allow disseminated BCG infection while reducing vaccine response.
How serious is the interaction between Bcg vaccine live and Dexamethasone?
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 during immunosuppressive dexamethasone therapy; defer until treatment has stopped for the interval recommended by local guidance.
What other medicines interact with Dexamethasone?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Dexamethasone with, for example, Mifepristone, Rilpivirine, Smallpox vaccine live. The full list is on the Dexamethasone page.
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