Will anti-inflammatory medications affect the efficacy of vaccines? Dr. Mallika Marshall answers your questions

BOSTON - Dr. Mallika Marshall is answering your medical questions. If you have a question, email her or message her on Facebook or Twitter.

Larry writes, "I took naproxen a few hours before I got my updated Covid booster and flu shot. Will the anti-inflammatory action of the naproxen affect the efficacy of the vaccines?"

You shouldn't take anti-inflammatory medications like naproxen, ibuprofen, or aspirin before you get a vaccine simply to try to avoid side effects. There is some thought that doing so could slightly blunt your immune response to the vaccine. However, if you take these medications regularly for other conditions you should continue to do so, or if you develop pain or fever after getting a vaccine, you can certainly take pain relievers to ease your discomfort.

Dr. Mallika is offering her best advice, but as always, consult your personal doctor before making any decisions about your personal health.       

In:
• Health
• COVID-19 Vaccine

Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

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