MMR Vaccination and the Immunocompromised Individual
MMR vaccine should not be administered to severely immunocompromised persons. Pregnancy is also a contraindication to receiving the MMR vaccine. Out of an abundance of caution, it is best to avoid becoming pregnant, if possible, until one month after receiving the MMR vaccine.
If you have a condition that affects your immune system and are unsure if you should receive an MMR vaccine, speak to your doctor. If they advise you to get an MMR vaccine, please have them provide a letter stating you have discussed your immunocompromising condition and that it safe for you to receive a live MMR vaccine.
For your health and well-being, we will not be able to vaccinate anyone who has a potentially immunocompromising condition without a letter of clearance from their doctor.
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Administration of live vaccines might need to be deferred until immune function has improved. This is primarily a safety concern, because persons who have altered immunocompetence and receive live vaccines might be at increased risk for an adverse reaction because of uninhibited growth of the attenuated live virus or bacteria.
The degree to which an individual patient is immunocompromised should be determined by a physician. Severe immunosuppression can be due to a variety of conditions, including congenital immunodeficiency, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, leukemia, lymphoma, generalized malignancy or therapy with alkylating agents, antimetabolites, radiation, or large amounts of corticosteroids, biologics, or antiretroviral therapy.
The spectrum of disease severity due to disease or treatment stage will determine the degree to which the immune system is compromised. The responsibility for determining whether a patient is severely immunocompromised ultimately lies with the physician.