Atorvastatin and Interferon Beta: Interaction Details
AI-assisted, pharmacist-reviewed · Source data updated Jul 15, 2026 · Sources: FDA labeling, DDInter 2.0, cited literature
Atorvastatin
Interferon Beta
No brand names on record
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
Decreased efficacy of interferon-beta
Interaction Deep Dive
Coadministration of high dose statins, such as atorvastatin, with interferon beta may result in decreased efficacy of interferon beta. In a drug interaction study (n=14), high doses of atorvastatin and simvastatin significantly inhibited interferon beta activity compared with interferon beta monotherapy1.
Why it happens (mechanism)
Inhibition of tyrosine phosphorylation on STAT1, preventing interferon response
Literature reports
1 report — tap to read
a) In a drug interaction study in patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (n=14), the addition of atorvastatin 80 mg or simvastatin 80 mg to interferon beta therapy resulted in significantly reduced interferon beta activity. Patients received no drug, a statin only, interferon beta only, or a statin in combination with interferon beta. In vitro analysis revealed that 24 hour preincubation with atorvastatin inhibited interferon beta stimulated phosphorylated STAT1, myxovirus resistance, and interferon-1 protein expression in a dose dependent manner. Atorvastatin also inhibited interferon-induced tyrosine phosphorylation for STAT1, but not STAT2. In vivo studies indicated that patients who received atorvastatin 80 mg or simvastatin 80 mg in addition to interferon beta therapy experienced significantly reduced serum type 1 interferon activity compared with interferon beta monotherapy 1.
Common questions
Can I take Atorvastatin and Interferon Beta together?
Decreased efficacy of interferon-beta Always confirm with your pharmacist or prescriber before making any change.
How serious is the Atorvastatin and Interferon Beta interaction?
It is rated moderate. Can be significant — usually manageable with monitoring.
How quickly could this interaction happen?
The documented onset is "rapid". Effects can appear quickly, often within about 24 hours of combining the drugs.
How strong is the evidence for this interaction?
The evidence is graded "established". Well documented — supported by controlled studies or strong clinical data.
From our Q&A
Real reader questions about these medications, each personally answered by our pharmacist:
Questions for your pharmacist
- Does my dose of Atorvastatin or Interferon Beta 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 anything you'd monitor while I'm on both?
References (1)
- Feng X, Han D, & Kilaru BK: Inhibition of interferon-beta responses in multiple sclerosis immune cells associated with high-dose statins. Arch Neurol 2012; 69(10):1303-1309. PubMed
Keep reading about Atorvastatin
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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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