# Interaction between Moderna/Pfizer and antivirals? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [February 8, 2021, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interaction-between-moderna-pfizer-and-antivirals/932466 "2021-02-08T19:33:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HughGoply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hughgoply/32/7834_2.png) [@HughGoply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HughGoply)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2021, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interaction-between-moderna-pfizer-and-antivirals/932466/1 "2021-02-08T19:33:35Z")
I assume that there can’t be an interaction between the mRNA vaccines and antiviral medications since the vaccines aren’t live. I know the old Shingles vaccine required stopping antivirals for one day before and 14 days after, but that was a live vaccine. I can’t find any studies specially on the effect of antivirals on the effectiveness of the two mRNA vaccines, but the studies looked at HIV positive patients (presumably most on antivirals) with no reduced effectiveness. Any possible reasons antivirals could affect mRNA vaccines? ---
**Author:** ![FigNorton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fignorton/32/5619_2.png) [@FigNorton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FigNorton)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2021, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interaction-between-moderna-pfizer-and-antivirals/932466/2 "2021-02-08T19:40:57Z")
> [@HughGoply](#): > > I can’t find any studies specially on the effect of antivirals on the effectiveness of the two mRNA vaccines, but the studies looked at HIV positive patients (presumably most on antivirals) with no reduced effectiveness. I’d be surprised any large study looked at this at this point. Link? ---
**Author:** ![HughGoply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hughgoply/32/7834_2.png) [@HughGoply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HughGoply)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2021, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interaction-between-moderna-pfizer-and-antivirals/932466/3 "2021-02-08T19:48:40Z")
“Efficacy findings in the interim analysis were also consistent across various subgroups, including racial and ethnic minorities, participants ages 65 years and older, and those at risk for severe COV ID-19 disease due to obesity, diabetes, cardiac disease, liver disease, chronic lung disease, mild to severe asthma, and infection with HIV , although the efficacy estimate in participants ages 65 years and older was slightly lower in the primary efficacy analysis.” [https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://fda.report/media/144673/Moderna%2BCOVID-19%2BVaccine%2Breview%2Bmemo.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiU2Pr3htvuAhXPZs0KHeBpBzcQFjACegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw1Ttu2EwmWkx6dLeVkXSPOQ](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://fda.report/media/144673/Moderna%2BCOVID-19%2BVaccine%2Breview%2Bmemo.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiU2Pr3htvuAhXPZs0KHeBpBzcQFjACegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw1Ttu2EwmWkx6dLeVkXSPOQ) My understanding is that they specifically wanted HIV positive participants in the study. ---
**Author:** ![FigNorton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fignorton/32/5619_2.png) [@FigNorton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FigNorton)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2021, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interaction-between-moderna-pfizer-and-antivirals/932466/4 "2021-02-08T19:57:01Z")
The table on page 24 shows there were 176 HIV positive participants. Not a large sample. ---
**Author:** ![HughGoply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hughgoply/32/7834_2.png) [@HughGoply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HughGoply)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2021, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interaction-between-moderna-pfizer-and-antivirals/932466/5 "2021-02-08T20:05:16Z")
Year, I doubt there’s a lot of data out there. That’s why I’m thinking of this from a more theoretical standpoint and our experience with other vaccines. I don’t see any interactions with any non-live vaccine and any antivirals. Or really any way it could theoretically interact, other than some weird chemical interaction, but it wouldn’t be the antiviral effect itself. It was just a question I had as I reading about the vaccines. Anyone on an antiviral that discussed this issue with your doctor? (Obviously only if you are comfortable discussing.) ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2021, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interaction-between-moderna-pfizer-and-antivirals/932466/6 "2021-02-08T20:16:33Z")
What is the difference between a mRNA vaccine and a RNA virus? I understand that mRNA is immediately broken down and discarded, so it’s not a virus, but I don’t know what a RNA virus is. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2021, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interaction-between-moderna-pfizer-and-antivirals/932466/7 "2021-02-09T04:23:08Z")
> [@Melbourne](#): > > but I don’t know what a RNA virus is. nm… ---
**Author:** ![HughGoply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hughgoply/32/7834_2.png) [@HughGoply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HughGoply)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2021, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interaction-between-moderna-pfizer-and-antivirals/932466/8 "2021-02-09T21:38:23Z")
" Moderna has begun administering its mRNA-1273 vaccine to volunteers in a phase III trial, but it initially would not accept anyone with HIV, thinking the virus would interfere with their response to the vaccine, [_Science_](https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/08/groups-protest-exclusion-hiv-infected-people-coronavirus-vaccine-trials)reports. But HIV activists and researchers objected strenuously; they pointed out that most HIV-positive people who are on antiretroviral treatment have a normally functioning immune system, so HIV would have no effect." > **[COVID-19 Vaccine Trial Will Include People Living With HIV](https://www.hivplusmag.com/news/2020/8/06/drugmaker-moderna-include-people-hiv-covid-19-vaccine-trial)** > > Activists protested at the company's initial exclusion of HIV-positive people, and Moderna has now changed course.