Influenza vaccination after rituximab

Taken from NRAS magazine, Spring 2010

A paper published in January in Arthritis and Rheumatism showed that giving an influenza vaccination after receiving rituximab (MabThera) could reduce the effectiveness of the vaccination. Therefore if you are on MabThera, you should consult your doctor to see if it might be better to have your flu vaccination before your rituximab infusion or some months after your infusion.