Is Pneumovax 23 a live vaccine?

[danter]

I had Pneumovax 23 first dose approx 6 years ago here in Aus with no real problems. I have been planning to get the second dose now.

However I have been thinking about whether it is a live vaccine. I have been searching "the net" trying to confirm if it is live or not live but cannot do so.

Any of our forum know the answer??

Thanks

[MsLockYourPosts Passed Volunteer]

Neither of the pneumonia vaccines is live. If you have not had the Prevnar 13 vaccine you should ask your doctor about getting it first, then the Pneumovax 23 at least 8 weeks later. Both are recommended, as is the DPT to protect against whooping cough, and an annual flu vaccine.

There is a new Shingles vaccine that is also not a live vaccine (Shingrix). Specialists are divided about recommending it. Many do (mine does), while some want to see a longer trial period. It is in short supply in most parts of the world.

[danter in reply to MsLockYourPosts]

Thanks very much for the quick update on the Pneumonia 23 vaccine. I'll now go ahead and have it done!

As far as Shingrix goes....our haematologist indicated it would be good to have it. However when we went to the Pharmacy with his prescription to obtain it here in Oz, the pharmacist checked and confirmed that it is not available yet and is undergoing further tests etc. It is on the list of drugs seeking approval but as yet not approved.

[Indie1234 in reply to MsLockYourPosts]

I enquired about shingrex but apparently it is not available here in Australia yet.

[AdrianUK in reply to Indie1234]

It’s possible you might be able to get it privately somewhere in Australia we can in the UK in a single travel vaccination pharmacy that is importing it. Worth digging around tho it isn’t that cheap. I believe it’s a couple of hundred pounds. But for me as soon as my immune system has recovered enough from FCR to make vaccinations worth while I think I may well stump up the cash (unless it looks like the NHS will have it before then). It seems the company isn’t able to make enough at the moment tho so perhaps it hasn’t even submitted a file for public funding approval yet in most countries outside the USA.

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i was given it 5 weeks ago while i was and am on Imbruvica.