Study: Pain pills lessen efficacy of vaccine
Taking a pain reliever at the time of vaccination can dilute the vaccine’s power. So says a new study of babies in the Czech Republic that confirms related lab studies in Rochester.
The Czech study found that giving acetaminophen (Tylenol) within the first day after vaccination to healthy babies to prevent fever or fussiness weakens infants’ immune response to the vaccine. It’s significant because parents in the United States might believe it’s wise to give Tylenol in connection with a shot. Before 1996, when the pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine was changed, Tylenol was typically recommended because the vaccine’s old version had a high rate of side effects including high fever, said Dr. Mark Cohen, a pediatrician and internist with Lifetime Health Medical Group in Perinton. Since then, he hasn’t recommended preventively giving pain relievers. But infants who run a high fever after vaccination may need the medicine, he said, particularly if they’re not comfortable enough to eat and stay hydrated.
The Czech study, published mid-October in The Lancet, included 459 infants getting routine vaccines against pertussis, polio, pneumonia, meningitis, tetanus, hepatitis and other childhood diseases. Those given Tylenol at vaccinations between 9 and 16 weeks had lower protective antibody levels, and the levels remained significantly lower after booster vaccines at 12 to 15 months old. An editorial in The Lancet by U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention specialists called for giving fever-reducing medicine such as Tylenol or ibuprofen (Advil) at vaccinations only if your doctor specifically recommends it, such as for a child who’s had convulsions caused by high fever.
University of Rochester Medical Center studies of human cell cultures have found that Tylenol, Advil and aspirin reduced the cells’ ability to make antibodies, says Richard P. Phipps, professor of environmental medicine, microbiology and immunology, and of pediatrics.
Results were consistent whether he and colleagues used virus particles or live virus, in human blood samples and in mice.
“The bottom line: For most healthy people, it would be wise not to take any of the over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications,” from the day before a vaccine through several days afterward, says Phipps. A bit of fever indicates the immune system is doing the work it’s supposed to do.
People taking over-the-counter pain relievers frequently for chronic conditions shouldn’t necessarily stop for a vaccination, says Phipps. People who take a baby aspirin daily to prevent heart problems should keep doing so; such a low dose likely wouldn’t affect antibody response to a vaccine, Phipps says. Consult your doctor for personalized guidance.
