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Dermbits

DO, MPH

Do you recommend getting the zoster vaccine before starting a JAK inhibitor?

JAK Inhibitors

You. When considering the use of an oral Janus kinase inhibitor, for instance, whether it be for atopic dermatitis with abracitinib or upatocytinib, or the use of baracetinib, which is recently approved for alopecia areata. It's my recommendation anyone above the age of 50, an adult that's above the age of 50 should get the shingles vaccine. Specifically, I would recommend the shindrix, which is about 90% effective. And always getting vaccines ahead of time is ideal. But because it's a killed vaccine, in principle, it could be given at the time that one is initiating this. As we always like to say, live vaccines should be administered before any immunosuppressive therapy. In this particular case, it's a killed vaccine. The challenges that we find as well, too, is that it's not just a one dose vaccine, it's a two dose vaccine that's given at baseline and two months later. But again, it is possible that in a pretty urgent situation where you have to treat your patient and get them on therapy because they're significantly flared, you could have your patient have administered the shindrix vaccine accordingly. So, yes, let's administer that to individuals that are 50 years of age or older ahead of time.

Do you recommend getting the zoster vaccine before starting a JAK inhibitor?

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