NO shingles vaccine for CLL patients

[Guest guest]

Professor C. Byrd, (M.D. D. Warren Brown Professor of

Leukaemia Research Professor of Medicine and Medicinal

Chemistry Interim Co-Director, Division of Haematology-

Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine Associate Director

for Translational Research,

The Comprehensive Cancer Center The Ohio State University

Columbus, Ohio, 4321) released in 2008 the following

statement for dissemination -

" I have seen a lot of questions about vaccines that have

live vaccine components. In particular, the varicella zoster

virus vaccine which should NOT be given to CLL patients due

to their immunocompromised state. Some practitioners are

mistakenly giving this and it places CLL patients at risk.

CLL patients can be administered vaccines that are not live

(such as the pneumovax). Please feel free to disseminate

this. "

C. Byrd, MD

CLL CANADA

http://cllcanada.ca