For People with IBD, Make Sure these Vaccines Are Up To Date
If you are on any immunosuppressive medications such as steroids, thiopurines, or anti-TNFs, you should not receive any live vaccines such as the MMR or Varicella vaccinations. Please reach out to your GI doctor or Care Team if you’re not sure if you should receive any live vaccines.
For more information, please see our IBD Vaccinations Safety Checklist.
| Vaccine | Disease | Who should get this? | How often? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Influenza (inactive) | Seasonal flu | Everyone | Annually |
| COVID-19 | Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) | Everyone aged 12 years and older | Please see the CDC’s website for the latest information. |
| Pneumococcal PCV13 | Pneumococcal disease, including pneumonia, meningitis, and bacteremia | If on or planning to start immunosuppressive medication | Once |
| Pneumococcal PPSV23 | Invasive infections like meningitis and bacteremia (infection in the blood) | If on or planning to start immunosuppressive medication or aged 65 years and older | Once, with an additional booster after age 65 |
| Tdap | Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis (whooping cough) | Everyone | Every 10 years |
| HPV | Some strains of Human papillomavirus that cause cancer and genital warts | Everyone between the ages of 11 and 26 years old | Once |
| Meningococcal meningitis | Invasive infections like meningitis and bacteremia | All adult patients at risk of meningitis | Once |
| Hepatitis A | Liver infection | If not immune* | Once |
| Hepatitis B | Liver infection | If not immune* | Once |
| Herpes Zoster (non-live version) | Shingles | Everyone aged 50 years and older | Once |
| MMR (live vaccine) | Measles, mumps, rubella | If not immune* If the someone is on certain medications such as high-dose steroids, biologics, and immunosuppressants, they cannot receive live vaccinations. | Once |
| Varicella (live vaccine) | If not immune* If the someone is on certain medications such as high-dose steroids, biologics, and immunosuppressants, they cannot receive live vaccinations. | Once |
* You may still have antibodies if you have had the infection, however your immunity may have worn off. Immunity may be checked with a blood test called a titer.