Drug interactions
Measles vaccine + Tocilizumab
Severity: Contraindicated
Measles vaccine and Tocilizumab: 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
Measles vaccine contains live attenuated virus, which may replicate uncontrollably in patients receiving tocilizumab and cause disseminated vaccine-strain disease. The vaccine response may also be reduced.
What this interaction means in plain words
Measles vaccine and Tocilizumab 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
Immunosuppression from IL-6 receptor blockade impairs control of live attenuated virus replication.
What to do
Avoid live vaccines during tocilizumab therapy. Give them at least 4 weeks before starting treatment when possible, and follow the product-specific interval after stopping.
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 Tocilizumab
- Bcg vaccine live + Tocilizumab Contraindicated
- Measles mumps and rubella vaccine live + Tocilizumab Contraindicated
- Measles mumps rubella and varicella vaccine live + Tocilizumab Contraindicated
- Rubella vaccine + Tocilizumab Contraindicated
- Smallpox vaccine live + Tocilizumab Contraindicated
- Tocilizumab + Typhoid vaccine live Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Measles vaccine with Tocilizumab?
MediHelp rates the interaction as contraindicated. Measles vaccine and Tocilizumab 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. Measles vaccine contains live attenuated virus, which may replicate uncontrollably in patients receiving tocilizumab and cause disseminated vaccine-strain disease. The vaccine response may also be reduced.
How serious is the interaction between Measles vaccine and Tocilizumab?
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 vaccines during tocilizumab therapy. Give them at least 4 weeks before starting treatment when possible, and follow the product-specific interval after stopping.
What other medicines interact with Tocilizumab?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Tocilizumab with, for example, Bcg vaccine live, Measles mumps and rubella vaccine live, Measles mumps rubella and varicella vaccine live. The full list is on the Tocilizumab page.
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