Drug interactions
Capecitabine + Meningococcal group b vaccine
Severity: Moderate
Capecitabine and Meningococcal group b vaccine: moderate 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
Chemotherapy with capecitabine may blunt the immune response to meningococcal group B vaccine. The patient may have a lower antibody response and less protection than expected.
What this interaction means in plain words
Capecitabine and Meningococcal group b vaccine can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken.
Why it happens
Chemotherapy-induced immunosuppression reduces vaccine immunogenicity.
What to do
Where feasible, vaccinate before starting chemotherapy or between cycles when counts have recovered. Consider checking response or revaccinating in patients at high risk.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Should I take them at different times of day?
- Does the dose of either medicine need to change?
- Is there anything I should avoid, such as alcohol or certain foods, while on both?
Pro+ members
Unlock the full page
Create an account and start a Pro+ trial to unlock the full management advice for Capecitabine and Meningococcal group b vaccine, 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 7 days on the web. No card needed.
Other interactions of Capecitabine
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Capecitabine with Meningococcal group b vaccine?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Capecitabine and Meningococcal group b vaccine can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken. Chemotherapy with capecitabine may blunt the immune response to meningococcal group B vaccine. The patient may have a lower antibody response and less protection than expected.
How serious is the interaction between Capecitabine and Meningococcal group b vaccine?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Where feasible, vaccinate before starting chemotherapy or between cycles when counts have recovered. Consider checking response or revaccinating in patients at high risk.
What other medicines interact with Capecitabine?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Capecitabine with, for example, Adenovirus types 4 and 7 live, Arsenic trioxide, Axicabtagene ciloleucel. The full list is on the Capecitabine 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.
