Rubella virus vaccine, live (Subcutaneous)

Rubella virus vaccine, live is a vaccine that helps protect you from the rubella virus. It works by making your body produce its own protection (antibodies) against the virus.

Rubella, also called German measles, is a serious illness that can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, or birth defects if a pregnant woman gets the disease. It is recommended that everyone get vaccinated against rubella, but it is especially important for women who could become pregnant.

Vaccination against rubella is also important for employees in medical facilities, adolescents and adult men, people traveling outside the U.S., and all children 12 months of age and older, including school-aged children.

It is not recommended to vaccinate infants younger than 12 months because the antibodies they got from their mothers before birth might affect how well the vaccine works. Children who received the rubella vaccine before 12 months of age should be vaccinated again.

You can be considered immune to rubella only if you received the rubella vaccine on or after your first birthday and have a medical record to prove it, or if you have had a blood test that shows you are immune. Just having had a rubella infection in the past does not guarantee immunity, as the symptoms of rubella infection are not reliable enough to confirm that you had the disease.

Since the rubella vaccine may not protect everyone, you may want to ask your doctor to check your immunity to the rubella virus 6 to 8 weeks after your vaccination. This is especially important if you are a woman of child-bearing age who may become pregnant in the future.

This vaccine should only be given by or under the supervision of your doctor or another health care professional.

Do not become pregnant for 3 months after getting the rubella vaccine without first checking with your doctor. There is a chance that this vaccine may cause birth defects.

Tell your doctor that you have received this vaccine:

• if you are going to have a tuberculin skin test within 4 to 6 weeks after getting this vaccine. The results of the test may be affected by this vaccine.
• if you are going to receive blood transfusions or other blood products within 2 weeks after getting this vaccine.
• if you are going to receive gamma globulin or other immune globulins within 2 weeks after getting this vaccine.

In deciding to use a vaccine, you and your doctor need to consider the risks of the vaccine against its benefits. For this vaccine, think about the following:

Allergies

Inform your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reactions to this medicine or any other medicines. Also, let your healthcare professional know if you have any other allergies, like to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, carefully read the label or package ingredients.

Pediatric

This vaccine is not recommended for infants younger than 12 months. It has been tested in older infants and children, and when given at effective doses, it has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems compared to adults.

Breast Feeding

Studies suggest that this medication poses minimal risk to an infant when used during breastfeeding.

Interactions with Medicines

Some medicines should not be used together at all, while others may be used together even if an interaction might happen. In these situations, your doctor may adjust the dose or take other precautions. When receiving this vaccine, it is especially important for your healthcare professional to know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions are significant and may not cover all possibilities.

It is not recommended to receive this vaccine with any of the following medicines. Your doctor may decide not to use this vaccine or may change some of the other medicines you take.

• Alemtuzumab
• Bendamustine
• Bortezomib
• Bosutinib
• Cabazitaxel
• Capecitabine
• Carboplatin
• Carfilzomib
• Carmustine
• Chlorambucil
• Cisplatin
• Cladribine
• Clofarabine
• Cyclophosphamide
• Cytarabine
• Cytarabine Liposome
• Dacarbazine
• Dasatinib
• Daunorubicin
• Daunorubicin Citrate Liposome
• Daunorubicin Liposome
• Deflazacort
• Docetaxel
• Doxorubicin
• Epirubicin
• Etoposide
• Fludarabine
• Fluorouracil
• Gemcitabine
• Gemtuzumab Ozogamicin
• Hydroxyurea
• Idarubicin
• Ifosfamide
• Imatinib
• Interferon Alfa
• Irinotecan
• Irinotecan Liposome
• Lomustine
• Mechlorethamine
• Melphalan
• Mercaptopurine
• Methotrexate
• Mitomycin
• Mitoxantrone
• Nelarabine
• Nilotinib
• Ofatumumab
• Oxaliplatin
• Paclitaxel
• Paclitaxel Protein-Bound
• Pemetrexed
• Pentostatin
• Ponatinib
• Procarbazine
• Rituximab
• Temozolomide
• Teniposide
• Thiotepa
• Topotecan
• Tositumomab
• Vinblastine
• Vinorelbine

Receiving this vaccine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be necessary in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may adjust the dose or how often you use one or both medicines.

• Adalimumab
• Anifrolumab-fnia
• Ansuvimab-zykl
• Antithymocyte Globulin Rabbit
• Atoltivimab
• Axicabtagene Ciloleucel
• Azathioprine
• Baricitinib
• Belatacept
• Betibeglogene Autotemcel
• Bimekizumab-bkzx
• Brexucabtagene Autoleucel
• Brodalumab
• Canakinumab
• Certolizumab Pegol
• Deucravacitinib
• Dupilumab
• Efgartigimod Alfa-fcab
• Elivaldogene Autotemcel
• Emapalumab-lzsg
• Etanercept
• Etrasimod
• Everolimus
• Fingolimod
• Golimumab
• Guselkumab
• Hyaluronidase
• Immune Globulin
• Inebilizumab-cdon
• Infliximab
• Ixekizumab
• Leflunomide
• Leniolisib
• Mirikizumab-mrkz
• Mycophenolic Acid
• Ocrelizumab
• Ozanimod
• Ponesimod
• Rilonacept
• Risankizumab-rzaa
• Ritlecitinib
• Rozanolixizumab-noli
• Sarilumab
• Satralizumab-mwge
• Secukinumab
• Siponimod
• Sirolimus
• Spesolimab-sbzo
• Tacrolimus
• Teplizumab-mzwv
• Teriflunomide
• Tildrakizumab-asmn
• Tocilizumab
• Tofacitinib
• Trabectedin
• Tralokinumab-ldrm
• Ublituximab-xiiy
• Upadacitinib
• Ustekinumab
• Valoctocogene Roxaparvovec-rvox
• Vamorolone
• Voclosporin

Receiving this vaccine with any of the following medicines may increase the risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both medicines.

• Abatacept
• Cytomegalovirus Immune Globulin, Human
• Hepatitis B Immune Globulin
• Rabies Immune Globulin
• Respiratory Syncytial Virus Immune Globulin, Human
• Tetanus Immune Globulin
• Vaccinia Immune Globulin, Human
• Varicella-Zoster Immune Globulin

Interactions with Food/Tobacco/Alcohol

Some medicines should not be taken around the time of eating or with certain foods due to possible interactions. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also lead to interactions. Talk to your healthcare professional about using your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Other Medical Problems

Other medical issues may affect the use of this vaccine. Make sure you inform your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Immune deficiency condition (or family history of) — This condition may increase the chance and severity of side effects from the vaccine and/or may reduce the vaccine's effectiveness.

• Severe illness with fever — The symptoms of this condition may be mistaken for possible side effects of the vaccine.

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Not all side effects may occur, but if they do, they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

Symptoms of allergic reaction

• Difficulty in breathing or swallowing
• hives
• itching, especially of feet or hands
• reddening of skin, especially around ears
• swelling of eyes, face, or inside of nose
• unusual tiredness or weakness (sudden and severe)

Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:

Less common

• Pain or tenderness of eyes

Rare

• Bruising or purple spots on skin
• confusion
• convulsions (seizures)
• headache (severe or continuing)
• pain, numbness, or tingling of hands, arms, legs, or feet
• stiff neck
• unusual irritability
• vomiting

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Your health care professional may also be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue, are bothersome, or if you have any questions about them:

More common

• Burning or stinging at place of injection
• skin rash
• swelling of glands in neck

Less common

• Aches or pain in joints
• headache (mild), sore throat, runny nose, or fever
• itching, swelling, redness, tenderness, or hard lump at place of injection
• nausea
• vague feeling of bodily discomfort

The above side effects (especially aches or pain in joints) are more likely to occur in adults, particularly women.

Some of the above side effects may not occur until 1 to 4 weeks after immunization and usually last less than 1 week. Aches or pain in joints may not occur until 1 to 10 weeks after immunization, and usually last less than 1 week. Check with your doctor if this side effect continues or is bothersome.

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

In the U.S.

• Meruvax II

Dosing

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

• For injection dosage form: For prevention of rubella: Adults and children 12 months of age and older—One dose injected under the skin. Children up to 12 months of age—Use is not recommended.