Zostavax is a live vaccine developed by Merck & Co. which has been shown to reduce the incidence of herpes zoster (known as Shingles) by 51.3% in a study of 38,000 adults aged 60 and older who received the vaccine. The vaccine also reduced by 66.5% the number of cases of postherpetic neuralgia and reduced the severity and duration of pain and discomfort associated with shingles, by 61.1%. Local reactions at the injections site were generally mild...
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Zostavax is a live vaccine developed by Merck & Co. which has been shown to reduce the incidence of herpes zoster (known as Shingles) by 51.3% in a study of 38,000 adults aged 60 and older who received the vaccine. The vaccine also reduced by 66.5% the number of cases of postherpetic neuralgia and reduced the severity and duration of pain and discomfort associated with shingles, by 61.1%. Local reactions at the injections site were generally mild.
Zostovax was approved by the FDA in May, 2006. The FDA recommended it only for adults aged 60 who meet the following requirements:
On October 25th, 2006, the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to recommend that Zostavax be given to all adults age 60 and over, including those who have had a previous episode of shingles.
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