Drug interactions
Melphalan + Yellow fever vaccine
Severity: Contraindicated
Melphalan and Yellow fever vaccine: 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
Melphalan-induced immunosuppression increases the risk of vaccine-associated viscerotropic or neurotropic disease from the live yellow fever vaccine. Protective antibody response may also be inadequate.
What this interaction means in plain words
Melphalan and Yellow fever vaccine 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
Cytotoxic immunosuppression impairs control of live vaccine virus replication and reduces the immune response.
What to do
Avoid yellow fever vaccination during melphalan therapy and for at least 3 months afterwards. If travel is unavoidable, seek specialist advice and consider a medical exemption letter.
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 Melphalan
- Adenovirus types 4 and 7 live + Melphalan Contraindicated
- Bcg vaccine live + Melphalan Contraindicated
- Influenza virus vaccine quadrivalent intranasal + Melphalan Contraindicated
- Measles mumps and rubella vaccine live + Melphalan Contraindicated
- Measles mumps and rubella vaccine + Melphalan Contraindicated
- Measles mumps rubella and varicella vaccine live + Melphalan Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Melphalan with Yellow fever vaccine?
MediHelp rates the interaction as contraindicated. Melphalan and Yellow fever vaccine 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. Melphalan-induced immunosuppression increases the risk of vaccine-associated viscerotropic or neurotropic disease from the live yellow fever vaccine. Protective antibody response may also be inadequate.
How serious is the interaction between Melphalan and Yellow fever vaccine?
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 yellow fever vaccination during melphalan therapy and for at least 3 months afterwards. If travel is unavoidable, seek specialist advice and consider a medical exemption letter.
What other medicines interact with Melphalan?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Melphalan with, for example, Adenovirus types 4 and 7 live, Bcg vaccine live, Influenza virus vaccine quadrivalent intranasal. The full list is on the Melphalan page.
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