What's the vaccine guidance for cosentyx users?

For Cosentyx (secukinumab), vaccine guidance generally follows standard recommendations for patients on biologic therapies that suppress parts of the immune system.

Key rule

• Avoid live vaccines while taking Cosentyx (and generally until a period after stopping, if your prescriber says you should stop).
• Inactivated and non-live vaccines are usually OK, and are typically recommended before or during treatment.

What to do before starting (if you can)

If you’re planning to start Cosentyx (or if you’re not fully vaccinated), it’s ideal to:

• Update vaccines prior to initiation when possible.
• Try to give any live vaccines at least ~4 weeks before starting (this “4-week” rule is commonly used for biologics; follow your clinician’s plan and local guidance).

During treatment

Safe/allowed (generally)

• Flu shot (inactivated) – recommended yearly
• COVID-19 vaccines – non-live (mRNA/viral vector depending on country)
• Pneumococcal vaccines (PCV/PPSV per age/risk)
• Tdap/Td (tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis)
• Hepatitis B (and other routine inactivated vaccines)
• Shingles vaccine (recombinant) — Shingrix is non-live and is typically preferred

Avoid

• Live-attenuated vaccines, such as:
  • Live nasal flu vaccine (FluMist)
  • MMR
  • Varicella (chickenpox)
  • Live zoster vaccine (Zostavax) (where applicable; Shingrix is the alternative)
  • Live vaccines used for travel (depends on the vaccine)

If you received a live vaccine accidentally

Tell your prescriber promptly. They may advise monitoring or adjusting treatment timing.

Pregnancy/breastfeeding note (if relevant)

Vaccine timing in pregnancy/breastfeeding can differ—especially for infant vaccines. Your OB and the prescribing clinician should coordinate.

Practical next steps

If you tell me:

1. your age,
2. whether you’re starting or already on Cosentyx, and
3. which vaccines you’re wondering about (flu, COVID, shingles, travel vaccines, etc.),
   I can help you map them to “safe vs avoid” and what timing is usually recommended.