Acetaminophen and Pneumococcal 13-Valent Vaccine, Diphtheria Conjugate: Interaction Details
AI-assisted, pharmacist-reviewed · Source data updated Jul 10, 2026 · Sources: FDA labeling, DDInter 2.0, cited literature
Pneumococcal 13-Valent Vaccine, Diphtheria Conjugate
No brand names on recordAcetaminophen
How we grade severity & evidence
Severity levels
- Contraindicated: These should generally not be used together.
- Major: Potentially serious — often needs a change or close monitoring.
- Moderate: Can be significant — usually manageable with monitoring.
- Minor: Usually limited clinical impact.
Evidence grades
- Established: Well documented — supported by controlled studies or strong clinical data.
- Probable: Good supporting evidence, though not definitively proven.
- Suspected: Some evidence suggests this interaction, but it is not well established.
- Possible: Limited or conflicting evidence; the interaction may occur.
- Theoretical: Predicted from the drugs' pharmacology; not yet confirmed in people.
Ratings come from the documented interaction literature and are reviewed by a pharmacist. They describe the documented risk of the combination, not what will necessarily happen to you — your dose, timing, and health picture all matter.
What happens
An inadequate immunologic response to the vaccine
Interaction Deep Dive
During a postmarketing study using a non-United States vaccination schedule administered at 2, 3, 4, and 12 months of age; acetaminophen, administered prophylactically to infants as 3 doses with the first dose given concomitantly with each pneumococcal vaccine and subsequent doses given at 6 to 8 hour intervals, resulted in a reduced antibody response to some serotypes following the 3rd vaccine dose compared with infants who received as-needed antipyretics. This effect was not observed following the 4th vaccination1.
Why it happens (mechanism)
Unknown
Common questions
Can I take Acetaminophen and Pneumococcal 13-Valent Vaccine, Diphtheria Conjugate together?
An inadequate immunologic response to the vaccine Always confirm with your pharmacist or prescriber before making any change.
How serious is the Acetaminophen and Pneumococcal 13-Valent Vaccine, Diphtheria Conjugate interaction?
It is rated major. Potentially serious — often needs a change or close monitoring.
How quickly could this interaction happen?
The documented onset is "unspecified". The timing of this interaction is not well characterized.
How strong is the evidence for this interaction?
The evidence is graded "probable". Good supporting evidence, though not definitively proven.
From our Q&A
Real reader questions about these medications, each personally answered by our pharmacist:
Questions for your pharmacist
- Does my dose of Acetaminophen or Pneumococcal 13-Valent Vaccine, Diphtheria Conjugate need adjusting while I take them together?
- What symptoms should prompt me to call you or my prescriber right away?
- Does the timing of my doses matter for this combination?
- Is there a safer alternative to one of these medications for me?
References (1)
- Product Information: PREVNAR 13 intramuscular injection suspension, pneumococcal 13 valent conjugate vaccine diphtheria CRM197 protein intramuscular injection suspension. Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc. (per FDA), Philadelphia, PA, 2015.
Keep reading about Pneumococcal 13-Valent Vaccine, Diphtheria Conjugate
Keep reading about Acetaminophen
These medications also interact with supplements
Prescription drugs aren't the whole picture — herbal and dietary supplements can interact with them too. From the evidence-graded Natural Medicines database:
major · moderate · minor — check everything you take with our drug–supplement interaction checker.
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