Drug interactions
Bcg vaccine live + Tacrolimus
Severity: Contraindicated
Bcg vaccine live and Tacrolimus: 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 can cause disseminated infection in immunosuppressed patients on tacrolimus. The immune response may also be impaired.
What this interaction means in plain words
Bcg vaccine live and Tacrolimus 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 inhibition impairs control of live attenuated bacteria, permitting replication.
What to do
Do not give live BCG to patients on tacrolimus. Use alternative preventive measures.
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 Tacrolimus
- Adenovirus types 4 and 7 live + Tacrolimus Contraindicated
- Cidofovir + Tacrolimus Contraindicated
- Cyclosporin + Tacrolimus Contraindicated
- Influenza virus vaccine quadrivalent intranasal + Tacrolimus Contraindicated
- Measles mumps and rubella vaccine live + Tacrolimus Contraindicated
- Measles mumps and rubella vaccine + Tacrolimus Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Bcg vaccine live with Tacrolimus?
MediHelp rates the interaction as contraindicated. Bcg vaccine live and Tacrolimus 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 can cause disseminated infection in immunosuppressed patients on tacrolimus. The immune response may also be impaired.
How serious is the interaction between Bcg vaccine live and Tacrolimus?
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 live BCG to patients on tacrolimus. Use alternative preventive measures.
What other medicines interact with Tacrolimus?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Tacrolimus with, for example, Adenovirus types 4 and 7 live, Cidofovir, Cyclosporin. The full list is on the Tacrolimus page.
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