Drug interactions
Bcg vaccine live + Methylprednisolone
Severity: Contraindicated
Bcg vaccine live and Methylprednisolone: 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 immunosuppressive doses of methylprednisolone can allow uncontrolled replication, causing disseminated BCG infection. The vaccine response may also be diminished.
What this interaction means in plain words
Bcg vaccine live and Methylprednisolone 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-induced impairment of cell-mediated immunity reduces control of live attenuated organisms.
What to do
Do not give BCG to patients on immunosuppressive corticosteroid doses. Delay vaccination until the steroid has been stopped for the interval recommended in local guidance, typically at least one month.
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 Methylprednisolone, 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 Methylprednisolone
- Measles mumps and rubella vaccine live + Methylprednisolone Contraindicated
- Measles mumps rubella and varicella vaccine live + Methylprednisolone Contraindicated
- Measles vaccine + Methylprednisolone Contraindicated
- Methylprednisolone + Mifepristone Contraindicated
- Methylprednisolone + Rubella vaccine Contraindicated
- Methylprednisolone + Smallpox vaccine live Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Bcg vaccine live with Methylprednisolone?
MediHelp rates the interaction as contraindicated. Bcg vaccine live and Methylprednisolone 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 immunosuppressive doses of methylprednisolone can allow uncontrolled replication, causing disseminated BCG infection. The vaccine response may also be diminished.
How serious is the interaction between Bcg vaccine live and Methylprednisolone?
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 on immunosuppressive corticosteroid doses. Delay vaccination until the steroid has been stopped for the interval recommended in local guidance, typically at least one month.
What other medicines interact with Methylprednisolone?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Methylprednisolone with, for example, Measles mumps and rubella vaccine live, Measles mumps rubella and varicella vaccine live, Measles vaccine. The full list is on the Methylprednisolone 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.
