# 4111
I’ve not read the study referenced in the article below, but this is something we’ve discussed on several occasions in the past.
That the use of NSAIDs, and other anti-inflammatory OTC (over-the-counter) medications, could reduce the effectiveness of vaccinations.
In October, in A Few Inflammatory Remarks, I discussed the Lancet admonition not to give babies Tylenol to curb vaccine side effects.
Last month, in Common Pain Relievers May Dampen Vaccination Benefits I wrote about an ongoing study at the University of Rochester Medical Center on this very subject.
Today’s announcement, regarding animal studies conducted at the University of Missouri, appears to at least partially validate some of these earlier studies.
First this press release, then a brief revisiting of some of the other evidence.
Aspirin, Tylenol May Decrease Effectiveness of Vaccines
Wednesday, December 02, 2009 :: Staff infoZine
Mizzou scientists discover aspirin and Tylenol block enzymes that could inhibit vaccines
Columbia, MO - infoZine - With flu season in full swing and the threat of H1N1 looming, demand for vaccines is at an all-time high. Although those vaccines are expected to be effective, University of Missouri researchers have found further evidence that some over-the-counter drugs, such as aspirin and Tylenol, that inhibit certain enzymes could impact the effectiveness of vaccines.
“If you’re taking aspirin regularly, which many people do for cardiovascular treatment, or acetaminophen (Tylenol) for pain and fever and get a flu shot, there is a good chance that you won’t have a good antibody response,” said Charles Brown, associate professor of veterinary pathobiology.
Although the full impact of adults taking NSAIDs on the immune response from vaccination isn’t known, I confess that I avoided taking NSAIDs for a couple of days after I got my flu shot last month, simply out of an abundance of caution.
This isn’t a medical recommendation, it is simply what I did. You should always discuss any medical decisions with your personal medical care provider.
The study which prompted my decision, appeared in The Journal of Immunology, 2006, 177: 7811-7819, is:
Elizabeth P. Ryan*, Christine M. Malboeuf, Matthew Bernard, Robert C. Rose, and Richard P. Phipps
(EXCERPT)
The widespread use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and Cox-2-selective inhibitory drugs may therefore reduce vaccine efficacy, especially when vaccines are poorly immunogenic or the target population is poorly responsive to immunization.
A little less complex is this summary which appeared in April of 2005 on the University of Rochester Medical Center’s website.
Scientists Raise Red Flag Over Some Painkillers and Immunizations
Scientists Raise Red Flag Over Some Painkillers and Immunizations
April 05, 2005
Over-the-counter painkillers such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen, and the newer Cox-2 selective drugs such as Celebrex or Bextra, may reduce the body’s ability to make antibodies, which are crucial for proper function of the immune system, University of Rochester scientists report in the Journal of Immunology.
