Drug interactions
Bcg vaccine live + Mycophenolate mofetil
Severity: Contraindicated
Bcg vaccine live and Mycophenolate mofetil: 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
Live BCG can cause disseminated BCG infection in patients taking mycophenolate, and the vaccine response may be reduced. Live vaccines are contraindicated in significantly immunosuppressed patients.
What this interaction means in plain words
Bcg vaccine live and Mycophenolate mofetil 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
Mycophenolate impairs lymphocyte-mediated control of live attenuated mycobacteria and blunts vaccine response.
What to do
Do not give BCG vaccine during mycophenolate therapy; consider alternative TB prevention strategies and screening.
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 Mycophenolate mofetil
- Adenovirus types 4 and 7 live + Mycophenolate mofetil Contraindicated
- Influenza virus vaccine quadrivalent intranasal + Mycophenolate mofetil Contraindicated
- Measles mumps and rubella vaccine live + Mycophenolate mofetil Contraindicated
- Measles mumps rubella and varicella vaccine live + Mycophenolate mofetil Contraindicated
- Measles vaccine + Mycophenolate mofetil Contraindicated
- Mycophenolate mofetil + Rotavirus oral vaccine live Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Bcg vaccine live with Mycophenolate mofetil?
MediHelp rates the interaction as contraindicated. Bcg vaccine live and Mycophenolate mofetil 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. Live BCG can cause disseminated BCG infection in patients taking mycophenolate, and the vaccine response may be reduced. Live vaccines are contraindicated in significantly immunosuppressed patients.
How serious is the interaction between Bcg vaccine live and Mycophenolate mofetil?
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 vaccine during mycophenolate therapy; consider alternative TB prevention strategies and screening.
What other medicines interact with Mycophenolate mofetil?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Mycophenolate mofetil with, for example, Adenovirus types 4 and 7 live, Influenza virus vaccine quadrivalent intranasal, Measles mumps and rubella vaccine live. The full list is on the Mycophenolate mofetil page.
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