Drug interactions
Measles mumps and rubella vaccine live + Methotrexate
Severity: Contraindicated
Measles mumps and rubella vaccine live and Methotrexate: 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 MMR vaccine may cause disseminated vaccine-virus infection in patients receiving methotrexate, and the immune response may be impaired. Low-dose methotrexate is sometimes judged acceptable in individual cases, but higher doses clearly raise risk.
What this interaction means in plain words
Measles mumps and rubella vaccine live and Methotrexate 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
Methotrexate suppresses lymphocyte proliferation, allowing replication of live attenuated viruses.
What to do
Avoid live MMR during methotrexate therapy; vaccinate at least 4 weeks before starting if possible. Any decision to vaccinate on low-dose methotrexate should be specialist-led.
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 Measles mumps and rubella vaccine live and Methotrexate, 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 Methotrexate
- Acitretin + Methotrexate Contraindicated
- Adenovirus types 4 and 7 live + Methotrexate Contraindicated
- Influenza virus vaccine quadrivalent intranasal + Methotrexate Contraindicated
- Ketorolac + Methotrexate Contraindicated
- Measles mumps and rubella vaccine + Methotrexate Contraindicated
- Measles mumps rubella and varicella vaccine live + Methotrexate Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Measles mumps and rubella vaccine live with Methotrexate?
MediHelp rates the interaction as contraindicated. Measles mumps and rubella vaccine live and Methotrexate 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 MMR vaccine may cause disseminated vaccine-virus infection in patients receiving methotrexate, and the immune response may be impaired. Low-dose methotrexate is sometimes judged acceptable in individual cases, but higher doses clearly raise risk.
How serious is the interaction between Measles mumps and rubella vaccine live and Methotrexate?
MediHelp rates it contraindicated, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Avoid live MMR during methotrexate therapy; vaccinate at least 4 weeks before starting if possible. Any decision to vaccinate on low-dose methotrexate should be specialist-led.
What other medicines interact with Methotrexate?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Methotrexate with, for example, Acitretin, Adenovirus types 4 and 7 live, Influenza virus vaccine quadrivalent intranasal. The full list is on the Methotrexate 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.
