Flu Shot

Is the flu shot necessary and safe? Does the flu vaccine react with any medications? My dad is 72 years old and takes a lot of medicine. We have heard some say that certain medications can cause dangerous reactions if given the flu vaccine.

[Enoch Choi, MD]

Very necessary and safer than getting pneumonia after getting flu, especially for your elderly dad.

These are the recommendations:

Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) target groups for vaccination:

Persons 50 years of age
Residents of nursing homes and other chronic-care facilities that house persons of any age with chronic medical conditions
Adults and children with chronic disorders of the pulmonary or cardiovascular systems, including asthma
Adults and children who have required regular medical follow-up or hospitalization during the preceding year because of chronic metabolic diseases (including diabetes mellitus), renal dysfunction, hemoglobinopathies, or immunosuppression (including immunosuppression caused by medications or HIV)
Adults and children with conditions which may compromise respiratory function, the handling of respiratory secretions, or that can increase the risk of aspiration (eg, cognitive dysfunction, spinal; cord injuries, seizure disorders, other neuromuscular disorders)
Children and adolescents (6 months to 18 years of age) who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy and therefore, may be at risk for developing Reye's syndrome after influenza
Women who will be pregnant during the influenza season
Children 6-59 months of age
The ACIP also recommends vaccination for close contacts of children 0-59 months of age, healthy persons who may transmit influenza to those at risk, all healthcare workers, and all persons (including school-aged children) who want to decrease their risk of influenza infection or transmitting influenza to others.


These are the CONTRAINDICATIONS (meaning that your dad can't take it if any of these are true) — Hypersensitivity to influenza virus vaccine, or any component of the formulation; presence of acute respiratory disease or other active infections or illnesses; active neurological disorder (immunization should be delayed)

In addition, for nasal spray: Patients at increased risk for influenza-related complications (see Use); history of Guillain-Barre syndrome; history of asthma or reactive airway disease; children 5-17 years of age receiving aspirin therapy; underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, renal dysfunction, cardiovascular disease, hemoglobinopathies; immunosuppressed or concomitant immunosuppressant therapy; pregnancy