Paracetamol, panadol may reduce vaccine effectiveness: study

New research that looked at the impact of taking pain medication like Pandaol after getting vaccinated has made an unexpected finding.

Taking paracetamol, ibuprofen or aspirin straight after getting jabbed may reduce the body’s immune response to vaccinations, including for Covid-19, significant new research suggests.

The University of Sydney study found that taking these common pain medications immediately before or possibly after getting vaccinated could reduce their effectiveness.

Lead author Christina Abdel-Shaheed described the clinical review of about 170 studies as the most important research she had undertaken during her 14-year career examining pain.

“I never had an idea about the unintended immune impacts of these commonly used pain medicines,” she said.

“In 14 years of studying pain, I’ve looked across multiple drug classes, (but) I did not know about this until we undertook this review with some of the world’s best infectious disease experts.”

Australia’s health department advises people not to take paracetamol or ibuprofen before getting a Covid jab.

However, it says pain relievers can be taken to manage side effects afterwards.

“If it is mild and manageable it would appear the best way to go is to let the body do its thing and mount an immune response,” Dr Abdel-Shaheed said.

She said the clinical review covered a variety of vaccines, including for influenza and meningitis, and the results raised questions about Covid too.

“What some studies have shown is that paracetamol and ibuprofen can actually reduce the antibody response when given prior to vaccination,” she said.

The research suggests people should avoid paracetamol after a Covid vaccine if their symptoms are mild. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Joel Carrett

“And there is some evidence to suggest that if they’re taken within six to eight hours of the vaccine being administered there can be a reduced effect on the immune response to the vaccine.

“The experience in these other settings does raise questions about the suitability of using these common medicines at the time of Covid vaccines as well.

“There are no specific studies looking into this area and there probably needs to be.”

Earlier this year there was panic buying for Panadol.

The research also looked at morphine and significantly found that it suppressed key cells of the immune system and increased a person’s risk of infection.

This was the case particularly after cancer surgery.

“It is one of the most widely used pain relievers in that context everywhere in the world,” Dr Abdel-Shaheed said.

“It can be administered to people in those critical situations and we’re seeing it can compromise their immune defences against infection.

“It challenges us to consider potential alternative strategies which don’t have those negative consequences.”

Another significant finding was that aspirin may be a therapeutic option for tuberculosis, which is a major problem in developing countries.

Originally published as Paracetamol, panadol may reduce vaccine effectiveness: study