Priorix vaccine powder and solvent for solution for injection 0.5ml vials

Priorix is a vaccine which is used to give people immunity to measles, mumps and rubella.

Vaccines work by making the body produce 'antibodies'. Antibodies are chemicals which inactivate germs when they enter the body. When you are vaccinated against a particular illness caused by germs your body can produce antibodies to the germs very quickly and so the illness does not get a chance to develop. Because of this vaccination is a very good way of preventing some illnesses.

Like all vaccines, Priorix may not give complete protection against all strains or varieties of the germs it is intended to protect you against.

Priorix is given to you by a healthcare professional. The person responsible for giving you your medicine will make sure that you get the right dose.

If you feel unwell after having the medicine then talk to your prescriber or someone involved in your medical care.

The person with responsibility for giving you your medicine will make sure that you have your medicine at the prescribed times.

This medicine will be given to you as an injection. If you have any concerns about this medicine or how this will be given to you, talk to someone who is involved in your medical care.

Having extra doses of some medicines can be harmful. In some cases even one extra dose can cause you problems.

In the case of Priorix, the person who is responsible for giving you your medicine will make sure that you are given the correct dose.

As Priorix is a vaccination which is usually given as a single dose, considerations to stopping this medicine are not relevant.

As Priorix will be given to you as an injection, it will usually be stored by the medical team.

Priorix is not suitable for everyone and some people should never use it. Other people should only use it with special care. It is important that the person prescribing this medicine knows your full medical history.

Your prescriber may only prescribe this medicine with special care or may not prescribe it at all if you:

Furthermore the prescriber may only prescribe this medicine with special care or may not prescribe it at all for a child aged under nine months.

As part of the process of assessing suitability to take this medicine a prescriber may also arrange tests:

Over time it is possible that Priorix can become unsuitable for some people, or they may become unsuitable for it. If at any time it appears that Priorix has become unsuitable, it is important that the prescriber is contacted immediately.

A medicine is only made available to the public if the clinical trials have shown that the benefits of taking the medicine outweigh the risks.

Once a medicine has been licensed, information on the medicine's effects, both intended and unintended, is continuously recorded and updated.

Some side-effects may be serious while others may only be a mild inconvenience.

Everyone's reaction to a medicine is different. It is difficult to predict which side-effects you will have from taking a particular medicine, or whether you will have any side-effects at all. The important thing is to tell your prescriber or pharmacist if you are having problems with your medicine.

Very common: More than 1 in 10 people who have Priorix:

• fever
• injection site problems such as redness, swelling or pain

Common: More than 1 in 100 people who have Priorix:

• infections including respiratory tract infection
• skin rash or rashes

Uncommon: More than 1 in 1000 people who have Priorix:

• abnormal crying
• bronchitis
• cough
• diarrhoea
• difficulty sleeping
• ear or hearing problems
• eye or eyesight problems
• feeling nervous
• loss of appetite
• lymphadenopathy
• swelling of the salivary glands
• vomiting

Rare: More than 1 in 10,000 people who have Priorix:

• allergic or anaphylactic reactions which may lead to shock - seek immediate medical advice if you develop an allergic or anaphylactic reaction
• convulsions

Very rare: Fewer than 1 in 10,000 people who have Priorix:

• brain or central nervous system problems

The frequency of these side-effects is unknown:

• arthritis
• erythema multiforme
• Guillain Barr syndrome
• inflammation of the spinal cord
• joint pain or other joint problems
• Kawasaki syndrome
• measles-like syndrome
• meningitis or meningitis-like symptoms
• mumps-like symptoms
• muscle pain or tenderness
• neuritis of the extremities
• skin problems
• swelling of the lymph nodes
• testicular problems
• thrombocytopenia or worsening of thrombocytopenia
• unexplained or easy bruising of the skin or mucous membranes

If you feel unwell or if you have concerns about a side-effect, you will need to seek advice. If you feel very ill, get medical help straight away. Contact your prescriber, pharmacist, nurse or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

If you are taking more than one medicine they may interact with each other. At times your prescriber may decide to use medicines that interact, in other cases this may not be appropriate.

The decision to use medicines that interact depends on your specific circumstances. Your prescriber may decide to use medicines that interact, if it is believed that the benefits of taking the medicines together outweigh the risks. In such cases, it may be necessary to alter your dose or monitor you more closely.

Tell your prescriber the names of all the medicines that you are taking so that they can consider all possible interactions. This includes all the medicines which have been prescribed by your GP, hospital doctor, dentist, nurse, health visitor, midwife or pharmacist. You must also tell your prescriber about medicines which you have bought over the counter without prescriptions.

The following medicines may interact with Priorix:

If you are taking Priorix and any of the above medicines, make sure your prescriber knows about it.

Medicines can interact with complementary preparations and vitamins. In general, there is not much information available about interactions between medicines and complementary preparations or vitamins.

If you are planning to take or are already taking any complementary preparations and vitamins you should ask your prescriber whether there are any known interactions with Priorix.

Your prescriber can advise whether it is appropriate for you to take combinations that are known to interact. They can also discuss with you the possible effect that the complementary preparations and vitamins may have on your condition.

If you experience any unusual effects while taking this medicine in combination with complementary preparations and vitamins, you should tell your prescriber.

When taking any medicine you should be aware that it might interfere with your ability to drive or operate machinery safely.

In the case of Priorix:

You should see how this medicine affects you before you judge whether you are safe to drive or operate machinery. If you are in any doubt about whether you should drive or operate machinery, talk to your prescriber.

Medicines can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your prescriber may advise you to avoid certain foods.

In the case of Priorix:

Alcohol can interact with certain medicines.

In the case of Priorix:

Most medicines, in some way, can affect the development of a baby in the womb. The effect on the baby differs between medicines and also depends on the stage of pregnancy that you have reached when you take the medicine.

In the case of Priorix:

You should discuss your personal circumstances with your doctor if you are pregnant or want to become pregnant. This is so that together you can make a decision about what treatment you may need during your pregnancy.

You should discuss whether there are any other medicines which you could take during pregnancy which would treat your condition.

Certain medicines can pass into breast milk and may reach your baby through breast-feeding.

In the case of Priorix:

Before you have your baby you should discuss breast-feeding with your doctor or midwife. They will help you decide what is best for you and your baby based on the benefits and risks associated with this medicine. You should only breast-feed your baby while taking this medicine on the advice of your doctor or midwife.

Medicines contain active ingredients. They may also contain other, additional ingredients that help ensure the stability, safety and effectiveness of the medicine. Some may be used to prolong the life of the medicine.

Priorix contains:

If you are not able to take any of the ingredients in your medicine, talk to your prescriber or pharmacist to see if they can suggest an alternative medicine. If you have reacted badly to Priorix before, do not have Priorix. Talk to your prescriber, pharmacist or nurse as soon as possible.