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Drug interactions

Measles mumps and rubella vaccine live + Prednisolone

Severity: Contraindicated

Measles mumps and rubella vaccine live and Prednisolone: 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

This live attenuated vaccine can cause disseminated vaccine-strain infection in patients on immunosuppressive doses of prednisolone. The vaccine response is also reduced.

What this interaction means in plain words

Measles mumps and rubella vaccine live and Prednisolone 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.

Evidence level: High

Why it happens

Glucocorticoid immunosuppression impairs control of live attenuated virus replication and blunts the immune response.

What to do

Avoid during high-dose steroid therapy and for about one month after stopping, per local guidance. Low-dose or short-course steroids may be acceptable under specialist advice.

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?

Bring a full list of your medicines, including over-the-counter products, supplements and herbal remedies, to every pharmacy visit.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I take Measles mumps and rubella vaccine live with Prednisolone?

MediHelp rates the interaction as contraindicated. Measles mumps and rubella vaccine live and Prednisolone 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. This live attenuated vaccine can cause disseminated vaccine-strain infection in patients on immunosuppressive doses of prednisolone. The vaccine response is also reduced.

How serious is the interaction between Measles mumps and rubella vaccine live and Prednisolone?

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 during high-dose steroid therapy and for about one month after stopping, per local guidance. Low-dose or short-course steroids may be acceptable under specialist advice.

What other medicines interact with Prednisolone?

MediHelp also lists interactions of Prednisolone with, for example, Bcg vaccine live, Measles mumps rubella and varicella vaccine live, Measles vaccine. The full list is on the Prednisolone page.

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