Vaccinations and Biologics

Betty Hsiao1, Aisha Khan2, Insoo Kang1

  • 1Section of Rheumatology, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 Cedar Street, TAC Bldg, RM #525 PO Box 208031, New Haven, CT 06520-8031, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.

The emergence of biologics has revolutionized the way physicians treat many autoimmune inflammatory conditions. Although biologics have become a vital component of the treatment approach to many inflammatory diseases, these agents may potentially disrupt the natural immune response against pathogens, thereby increasing the risk for infections. Some infections may be preventable or have a lessened risk through appropriate vaccinations; thus, vaccination history should be taken carefully in preparation for biologics and updated annually to maximize benefits while minimizing adverse effects. The objective of this review is to summarize recent articles, including guidelines, published that address vaccinations among patients on biologics.

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