The following is a summary of “Vaccination recommendations for adults receiving biologics and oral therapies for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis: Delphi consensus from the medical board of the National Psoriasis Foundation,” published in the June 2024 issue of Dermatology by Chat, et al.

Psoriatic patients often require nonlive or live vaccines, prompting the need for evidence-based recommendations regarding managing systemic therapies for psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis during vaccination. For a study, researchers sought to review the literature on vaccine efficacy and safety and develop consensus-based recommendations for adults receiving systemic therapies for psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis who are undergoing nonlive or live vaccinations.

Utilizing a modified Delphi process, 22 consensus statements were formulated by the National Psoriasis Foundation Medical Board and COVID-19 Task Force, along with input from infectious disease experts.

Key recommendations advocate continuing most oral and biological therapies for patients receiving non-live vaccines without modification. However, discontinuing most oral and biologic medications before and after vaccination is advised for those receiving live vaccines. Specific recommendations include halting most biologic therapies, except abatacept, for 2-3 half-lives before live vaccine administration, with the next dose deferred for 2-4 weeks post-vaccination. The absence of studies assessing infection rates following vaccination constituted a limitation.

Temporary interruption of antipsoriatic oral and biologic therapies is generally unnecessary for patients receiving nonlive vaccines. However, a brief pause in these treatments before and after live vaccinations is often recommended.

Reference: sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0190962224002433