COVID-19 vaccination in patients with IBD: Communiqué from the Canadian Association of Gastroenterology

Immunization in patients with IBD

The Canadian Association of Gastroenterology recently completed a comprehensive and rigorous systematic review and grading of evidence of immunization with inactivated and live vaccines in patients with IBD for a clinical practice guideline. The evidence to date suggests that patients with IBD on immunosuppressive therapy may have a lower immune response to certain vaccines. However, inactivated (or non-live) vaccines are safe with no serious adverse events in patients with IBD regardless of whether or not they are on immunosuppressive therapy. The use of live vaccines in patients with immune-mediated diseases (including patients with IBD) on immunosuppressive therapy is also generally safe, although rare serious adverse events have been reported. Both the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Canadian National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommend against live vaccines “in patients on immunosuppressive therapy equivalent to ≥ 20 mg or 2 mg/kg/day of prednisone for ≥ 14 days”.

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