
October 14, 2001
Other Medications
Question from Cairo, Egypt:
My eight year old son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes six months ago, and his doctor here advised that he must take vaccine for influenza and hepatitis A. What’s your opinion? Is it safe for a child with diabetes to take such vaccines? Will they affect his immune system?
Answer:
The issue of vaccinations and type�1 diabetes has been raised only in terms of causing diabetes in people at risk, but is unfounded. Nobody has ever argued about a possible adverse effect of vaccines on the immune system in subjects already affected by diabetes. We do advise our patients with type 1 diabetes to take vaccines according to usual schedules.
MS