Shingles Vaccine - not for CLL patients

[Guest guest]

There have been a couple of articles recently about shingles vaccine, (varicella

zoster virus vaccine - Zostavax), being underused in the elderly.

http://jama.ama-assn.org/content/305/2/160.short

http://www.cfah.org/hbns/archives/viewSupportDoc.cfm?supportingDocID=986

I want to remind CLL patients that this is a live vaccine and should NOT be

considered.

I refer you to a statement by Dr. J. Byrd

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Of Note: from December 2008

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,)has released 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