Can you get the shingles (zoster) vaccine while taking Cosentyx (secukinumab)?
Cosentyx (secukinumab) is an immune-modulating biologic that can lower immune responses. That matters because the shingles vaccines are not all the same type.
- The older shingles vaccine, Zostavax, is a live-attenuated vaccine. With immune-suppressing therapies like secukinumab, clinicians generally avoid live vaccines due to safety concerns.
- The newer shingles vaccine, Shingrix (recombinant zoster vaccine), is non-live. Non-live vaccines are typically considered safer to use with immunomodulators, and they are the usual choice when vaccination is recommended for people on biologics.
What type of shingles vaccine matters (Shingrix vs Zostavax)?
The interaction is mainly about vaccine type rather than secukinumab having a unique effect on the virus in the vaccine:
- Shingrix (recombinant, non-live): generally preferred for people who are immunocompromised or immunosuppressed.
- Zostavax (live-attenuated): generally avoided with biologic immune therapies.
Because the question asks about interaction, the key point is that Cosentyx does not make vaccines impossible, but it changes which shingles vaccine you should use.
How should timing work around a Cosentyx dose?
If you’re using Shingrix, clinicians usually schedule it so you can be vaccinated while on treatment, because it is non-live. For live shingles vaccination (like Zostavax), the approach is different: live vaccines generally require more caution and sometimes avoidance while on treatment.
Your prescriber can advise the exact timing based on your dose schedule and vaccination history.
What might patients notice after getting Shingrix or a zoster vaccine on Cosentyx?
Even when vaccines are non-live, people on immune-modulating therapy can still have:
- typical vaccine side effects (arm soreness, fatigue, fever)
- and they may be monitored more closely if they have other immune-related risks
Where to verify the exact guidance?
For product-specific labeling language on vaccine recommendations and live vaccine warnings, check the Cosentyx prescribing information or your clinician. If you want, tell me which shingles vaccine you mean (Shingrix or Zostavax) and your age, and I can narrow the guidance to that vaccine type.
Sources:
- [1] DrugPatentWatch.com (Cosentyx related information): https://www.drugpatentwatch.com