Latest news with #Shingrix
Daily Maverick
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Maverick
Understanding shingles: Risks, vaccination gaps, and the quest for better health solutions
The only shingles vaccine on the market in South Africa was discontinued in 2024. A newer and better vaccine is being used in some other countries, but has not yet been registered in South Africa, though it can be obtained by those with money who are willing to jump through some hoops. Shingles is a common and painful condition that mostly affects the elderly and people with weakened immune systems. It generally appears with a telltale red rash and cluster of red blisters on one side of the body, often in a band-like pattern. 'Shingles is pretty awful to get – it's extremely painful, and some people can get strokes, vision loss, deafness and other horrible manifestations as complications,' said infectious disease specialist, Professor Jeremy Nel. 'Shingles really is something to avoid, if at all possible.' One way to prevent the viral infection is to get vaccinated. But while two vaccines against shingles have been developed and broadly used in the developed world, neither is available in South Africa. Two vaccines Zostavax, from the pharmaceutical company MSD, was the first vaccine introduced to prevent shingles. It was approved for use in the US in 2006 and in South Africa in 2011. It is 51% effective against shingles in adults over 60. A more effective vaccine, Shingrix, which is more than 90% effective in preventing shingles, was introduced by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in the US in 2016. It is not yet authorised for use in South Africa, but GSK has submitted paperwork for approval with the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra), said company spokesperson Kamil Saytkulov. The superior protection offered by Shingrix compared with Zostavax quickly made it the dominant shingles vaccine on the market. As a result, MSD discontinued the production and marketing of Zostavax. MSD spokesperson Cheryl Reddy said Zostavax was discontinued globally in March 2024. Before then, the vaccine was sold in South Africa's private healthcare system for about R2,300, but it was never widely available in government clinics or hospitals. No registered and available vaccine Since Zostavax has been discontinued and Shingrix remains unregistered, the only way to access a vaccine against shingles in South Africa is by going through the onerous process of applying to Sahpra for a Section 21 authorisation – a legal mechanism that allows the importation of unregistered medicines when there is an unmet medical need. 'Access will only be available to those who are able to get Section 21 approval' and 'this is a costly and time-consuming process, requiring motivation by a doctor,' said Dr Leon Geffen, director of the Samson Institute for Ageing Research. The cost of the two-dose Shingrix vaccine imported through Section 21 authorisations is currently about R15,600, said Dr Albie de Frey, CEO of the Travel Doctor Corporate. People who seek Section 21 authorisation typically have to pay for this out of their own pockets. 'Shingrix is not covered [by Discovery Health] as it is unregistered in South Africa and is therefore considered to be a General Scheme Exclusion,' Dr Noluthando Nematswerani, chief clinical officer at Discovery Health, told Spotlight. The Department of Health did not respond to queries about whether Section 21 processes are being pursued for priority patients in the public sector or whether there has been any engagement with GSK on the price of this product. People who receive organ transplants, for example, should be prioritised to receive the shingles vaccine since the medications they are given to suppress their immune system puts them at high risk of developing shingles. Why is the price of Shingrix so high? Unlike South Africa, where companies must sell pharmaceutical products at a single, transparent price in the private sector, the US has no such requirement. Even so, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) pays $250 (R4,600) for the two-dose Shingrix vaccine through CDC contracts. This is less than a third of the charge when Shingrix is imported to South Africa. Equity Pharmaceuticals, based in Centurion, Gauteng, is importing GSK's Shingrix for patients who receive Section 21 authorisations to use the unregistered vaccine. It is unclear what price Equity Pharmaceuticals is paying GSK for Shingrix to be imported under Section 21 approvals, or what its mark-up on the medicine is. Asked about the price of Shingrix in South Africa, Saytkulov told Spotlight: 'Equity Pharmaceuticals is not affiliated with GSK, nor is it a business partner or agent of GSK. Therefore we cannot provide any comments with regards to pricing of a non-licensed product, which has been authorised for importation through Section 21.' Equity Pharmaceuticals also said it was difficult to comment on the price. 'The price of a Section 21 product depends on a number of fair considerations, including the forex rate, the quantity, transportation requirements, and the country of importation. Once the price and lead time are defined for an order, the information is shared with the healthcare provider to discuss with their patient and the medical aid,' the company's spokesperson, Carel Bouwer, said. Nematswerani pointed out that 'Section 21 pricing is not regulated' and that the price can change due to many factors including supplier costs, product availability and inflation. What causes shingles? Shingles is caused by the same highly infectious virus that causes chickenpox. Most people are infected with the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) during childhood. Chickenpox occurs when a person is first infected by VZV. When a person recovers from chickenpox, the VZV virus remains dormant in their body but can reactivate later in life as the immune system weakens. This secondary infection that occurs, typically in old age when the dormant virus reactivates, is called shingles. People who were naturally infected with chickenpox, as well as those vaccinated against chickenpox with a vaccine containing a weakened form of the VZV virus, can get shingles later in life. But, people who were vaccinated against chickenpox have a significantly lower risk of developing shingles later in life compared with those who naturally contracted chickenpox, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The chickenpox vaccine is available in South Africa's private sector but is not provided in the public sector as part of the government's expanded programme on immunisation. Chickenpox is usually mild in most children, but those with weakened immune systems at risk of severe or complicated chickenpox should be vaccinated against it, said Professor James Nuttall, a paediatric infectious diseases sub-specialist at the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital and the University of Cape Town. Who should be vaccinated against shingles? South Africa does not have guidelines for who should receive the shingles vaccine and when. The US CDC recommends that all adults older than 50 receive the two-dose Shingrix vaccine. It also recommends that people whose immune systems can't defend their body as effectively as they should, like those living with HIV, should get the vaccine starting from age 19. While Shingrix works better than Zostavax at preventing shingles, it has other advantages that make it a safer and better option for people with weak immune systems. The Zostavax vaccine contains a weakened live form of the VZV virus and thus poses a risk of complications in people with severely weakened immune systems. 'In the profoundly immunosuppressed, the immune system might not control the replication of this weakened virus,' explained Nel. The Shingrix vaccine does not contain any live virus and therefore does not present this risk. In March 2025, the WHO recommended that countries where shingles is an important public health problem consider the two-dose shingles vaccine for older adults and people with chronic conditions. '[T]he vaccine is highly effective and licensed for adults aged 50 and older, even if they've had shingles before,' according to the WHO. It advised countries to weigh up how much the vaccine costs with the benefits before deciding to use it. The cost of not vaccinating against shingles The cost of not vaccinating against shingles is high for people who develop the condition, as well as the health system. '[T]he risk of getting shingles in your lifetime is about 20 to 30%… by the age of 80 years, the prevalence is almost 50%,' said Geffen. 'Shingles is often a painful, debilitating condition, with significant morbidity. It can result in chronic debilitating pain which affects sleep, mood and overall function,' he added. Beyond preventing shingles and its complications, new evidence suggests that getting the vaccine may also reduce the risk of developing dementia and heart disease. In April, a large Welsh study published in Nature reported that people who received the Zostavax vaccine against shingles were 20% less likely to develop dementia seven years after receiving it compared with those who were not vaccinated. In May, a South Korean study published in the European Heart Journal reported that people vaccinated against shingles had a 23% lower risk of cardiovascular events, such as stroke or heart disease, for up to eight years after vaccination. DM
TimesLIVE
5 days ago
- Health
- TimesLIVE
Why most people in SA can't get the shingles vaccine
The only shingles vaccine on the market in SA was discontinued last year. A newer and better vaccine is being used in some countries, but has not yet been registered in SA, though it can be obtained by those with money who are willing to jump through hoops. Shingles is a common and painful condition that mostly affects the elderly and people with weakened immune systems. It generally appears with a telltale red rash and cluster of red blisters on one side of the body, often in a band-like pattern. 'Shingles is pretty awful to get. It's extremely painful, and some people can suffer strokes, vision loss, deafness and other horrible manifestations as complications,' said infectious disease specialist Prof Jeremy Nel. 'Shingles is something to avoid, if at all possible,' he said. One way to prevent the viral infection is by getting vaccinated against it. However, while two vaccines against shingles have been developed and broadly used in the developed world, neither of these are available in SA. Zostavax, from the pharmaceutical company MSD, was the first vaccine introduced to prevent shingles. It was approved for use in the US in 2006 and in SA in 2011. It is 51% effective against shingles in adults over 60. Shingrix is not covered [by Discovery Health] as it is unregistered in SA and is therefore considered to be a general scheme exclusion Dr Noluthando Nematswerani, chief clinical officer at Discovery Health A more effective vaccine, Shingrix, which is more than 90% effective in preventing shingles, was introduced by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in the US in 2016. It is not yet authorised for use in SA, but GSK has submitted paperwork for approval with the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra), said company spokesperson Kamil Saytkulov. The superior protection offered by Shingrix compared to Zostavax quickly made it the dominant shingles vaccine on the market. As a result, MSD discontinued the production and marketing of Zostavax. MSD spokesperson Cheryl Reddy said Zostavax was discontinued globally in March 2024. Before then, the vaccine was sold in the private healthcare system for about R2,300, but it was never widely available in government clinics and hospitals. No registered and available vaccine Since Zostavax has been discontinued and Shingrix remains unregistered, the only way to access a vaccine against shingles is by going through the onerous process of applying to Sahpra for a section 21 authorisation, a legal mechanism that allows the importation of unregistered medicines when there is an unmet medical need. 'Access will only be available to those who are able to get section 21 approval' and 'this is a costly and time-consuming process requiring motivation by a doctor,' said Dr Leon Geffen, director of the Samson Institute For Ageing Research. The cost of the two-dose Shingrix vaccine imported through section 21 authorisation is about R15,600, said Dr Albie de Frey, CEO of the Travel Doctor Corporation. People who do go through the effort of getting section 21 authorisation typically have to pay the price themselves. 'Shingrix is not covered [by Discovery Health] as it is unregistered in SA and is therefore considered to be a general scheme exclusion,' Dr Noluthando Nematswerani, chief clinical officer at Discovery Health, told Spotlight. The department of health did not respond to queries regarding whether section 21 processes are being pursued for priority patients in the public sector or whether there has been any engagement with GSK regarding the price of the product. People who receive organ transplants, for example, should be prioritised to receive the shingles vaccine as the medications they are given to suppress their immune systems puts them at high risk of developing shingles. Unlike SA, where companies must sell pharmaceutical products at a single, transparent price in the private sector, the US has no such requirement. Even so, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) pays $250 (R4,473) for the two-dose Shingrix vaccine through CDC contracts. This is less than a third of the price charged when Shingrix is imported into SA. Equity Pharmaceuticals, based in Centurion in Gauteng, is importing GSK's Shingrix for patients who receive section 21 authorisations to use the unregistered vaccine. It is unclear what price Equity Pharmaceuticals is paying GSK for Shingrix to be imported under section 21 approvals, or what is Equity Pharmaceuticals' mark up on the medicine. When asked about the price of Shingrix, Saytkulov said: 'Equity Pharmaceuticals is not affiliated with GSK nor is it a business partner or agent of GSK. Therefore, we cannot provide any comments with regards to pricing of a non-licensed product which has been authorised for importation through section 21.' Equity Pharmaceuticals also said it was difficult to comment on the price. 'The price of a section 21 product depends on a number of fair considerations, including the forex rate, the quantity, transportation requirements and country of importation. Once the price and lead time are defined for an order, the information is shared with the healthcare provider to discuss with their patient and the medical aid,' the company's spokesperson Carel Bouwer told Spotlight. Nematswerani said 'section 21 pricing is not regulated' and prices can change due to many factors including supplier costs, product availability and inflation. Shingles is caused by the same highly infectious virus that causes chickenpox. Most people are infected with the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) during childhood. Chickenpox occurs when a person is first infected by VZV. When a person recovers from chickenpox, the VZV virus remains dormant in their body but can reactivate later in life as one's immune system weakens. The secondary infection that occurs, typically in old age when the dormant virus reactivates, is called shingles. People who were naturally infected with chickenpox, and those vaccinated against chickenpox with a vaccine containing a weakened form of the VZV virus, can get shingles later in life. However, people who were vaccinated against chickenpox have a significantly lower risk of developing shingles later in life compared to those who naturally contracted chickenpox, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The chickenpox vaccine is available in the private sector but is not provided in the public sector as part of government's expanded programme on immunisation. Chickenpox is usually mild in most children, but those with weakened immune systems at risk of severe or complicated chickenpox should be vaccinated against it, said Prof James Nuttall, a paediatric infectious diseases sub-specialist at the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital and the University of Cape Town. Who should be vaccinated against shingles? SA does not have guidelines regarding who should receive the shingles vaccine and when they should receive it. The US CDC recommends all adults older than 50 receive the two-dose Shingrix vaccine. They also recommend people whose immune systems can't defend their body as effectively as it should, such as those living with HIV, should get the vaccine starting from age 19. While Shingrix works better than Zostavax to prevent shingles, it has other advantages that make it a safer and better option for people with weak immune systems. The Zostavax vaccine contains a weakened live form of the VZV virus and thus poses a risk of complications in people with severely weakened immune systems. 'In the profoundly immunosuppressed, the immune system might not control the replication of the weakened virus,' explained Nel. The Shingrix vaccine does not contain any live virus and therefore does not present the risk. In March this year, the WHO recommended countries where shingles is an important public health problem consider the two-dose shingles vaccine for older adults and people with chronic conditions. 'The vaccine is highly effective and licensed for adults age 50 years and older, even if they've had shingles before,' according to the WHO. It advised countries to look at how much the vaccine costs compared to the benefits before deciding to use it. The cost of not vaccinating against shingles is high for people who develop the condition, and the health system. 'The risk of getting shingles in your lifetime is about 20 to 30%. By the age of 80 years the prevalence is almost 50%,' said Geffen. 'Shingles is often a painful debilitating condition, with significant morbidity. It can result in chronic debilitating pain which affects sleep, mood and overall function,' he said. Beyond preventing shingles and its complications, new evidence suggests getting the shingles vaccine may also reduce one's risk of developing dementia and heart disease. In April, a large Welsh study published in Nature reported people who got the Zostavax vaccine against shingles were 20% less likely to develop dementia seven years after receiving the vaccine compared to those who were not vaccinated. In May, a South Korean study published in the European Heart Journal reported people vaccinated against shingles had a 23% lower risk of cardiovascular events, such as strokes and heart disease, for up to eight years after vaccination.
Eyewitness News
5 days ago
- Health
- Eyewitness News
Why most people in South Africa can't get the shingles vaccine
The only shingles vaccine on the market in South Africa was discontinued last year. A newer and better vaccine is being used in some other countries, but has not yet been registered in South Africa, though it can be obtained by those with money who are willing to jump through some hoops. Shingles is a common and painful condition that mostly affects the elderly and people with weakened immune systems. It generally appears with a telltale red rash and cluster of red blisters on one side of one's body, often in a band-like pattern. 'Shingles is pretty awful to get – it's extremely painful, and some people can get strokes, vision loss, deafness and other horrible manifestations as complications,' said infectious disease specialist Professor Jeremy Nel. 'Shingles really is something to avoid, if at all possible,' he added. One way to prevent the viral infection, is by getting vaccinated against it. But while two vaccines against shingles have been developed and broadly used in the developed world, neither of these are currently available in South Africa. TWO VACCINES Zostavax, from the pharmaceutical company MSD, was the first vaccine introduced to prevent shingles. It was approved for use in the United States in 2006 and in South Africa in 2011. It is 51% effective against shingles in adults over 60. A more effective vaccine, Shingrix, that is over 90% effective in preventing shingles was introduced by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in the United States in 2016. It is not yet authorised for use in South Africa, but GSK has submitted paperwork for approval with the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA), said the company spokesperson, Kamil Saytkulov. The superior protection offered by Shingrix compared to Zostavax quickly made it the dominant shingles vaccine on the market. As a result, MSD discontinued the production and marketing of Zostavax. MSD spokesperson Cheryl Reddy said Zostavax was discontinued globally in March 2024. Before then, the vaccine was sold in South Africa's private healthcare system for about R2,300, but it was never widely available in government clinics or hospitals. NO REGISTERED AND AVAILABLE VACCINE Since Zostavax has been discontinued and Shingrix remains unregistered, the only way to access a vaccine against shingles in South Africa is by going through the onerous process of applying to SAHPRA for a Section 21 authorisation – a legal mechanism that allows the importation of unregistered medicines when there is an unmet medical need. The cost of the two-dose Shingrix vaccine imported through Section 21 authorisations is currently around R15,600, said Dr Albie de Frey, CEO of the Travel Doctor Corporation. People who do go through the effort of getting Section 21 authorisation typically have to pay this price out of their own pockets. 'Shingrix is not covered [by Discovery Health] as it is unregistered in South Africa and is therefore considered to be a General Scheme Exclusion,' Dr Noluthando Nematswerani, Chief Clinical Officer at Discovery Health, told Spotlight. The Department of Health did not respond to queries regarding whether Section 21 processes are being pursued for priority patients in the public sector or whether there has been any engagement with GSK regarding the price of this product. People who receive organ transplants, for example, should be prioritised to receive the shingles vaccine, as the medications they are given to suppress their immune system put them at a high risk of developing shingles. WHY IS THE PRICE OF SHINGRIX SO HIGH? Unlike South Africa, where companies must sell pharmaceutical products at a single, transparent price in the private sector, the United States has no such requirement. Even so, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) pays $250 or R4,600 for the two-dose Shingrix vaccine through CDC contracts. This is less than a third of the price charged when Shingrix is imported into South Africa. Equity Pharmaceuticals, based in Centurion in Gauteng, is importing GSK's Shingrix for patients that receive Section 21 authorisations to use the unregistered vaccine. It is unclear what price Equity Pharmaceuticals is paying GSK for Shingrix to be imported into South Africa under Section 21 approvals, or what Equity Pharmaceuticals' mark up on the medicine is. When asked about the price of Shingrix in South Africa, Saytkulov told Spotlight: 'Equity Pharmaceuticals is not affiliated with GSK nor is it a business partner or agent of GSK. Therefore, we cannot provide any comments with regards to pricing of a non-licensed product, which has been authorised for importation through Section 21.' Equity Pharmaceuticals also said it was difficult to comment on the price. 'The price of a Section 21 product depends on several fair considerations, including the forex rate, the quantity, transportation requirements, and the country of importation. Once the price and lead time are defined for an order, the information is shared with the healthcare provider to discuss with their patient and the medical aid,' the company's spokesperson, Carel Bouwer, told Spotlight . Nematswerani pointed out that 'Section 21 pricing is not regulated' and that price can change due to many factors, including supplier costs, product availability, and inflation. WHAT CAUSES SHINGLES? Shingles is caused by the same highly infectious virus that causes chickenpox. Most people are infected with the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) during childhood. Chickenpox occurs when a person is first infected by VZV. When a person recovers from chickenpox, the VZV virus remains dormant in their body but can reactivate later in life as one's immune system weakens. This secondary infection that occurs, typically in old age when the dormant virus reactivates, is called shingles. People who were naturally infected with chickenpox, as well as those vaccinated against chickenpox with a vaccine containing a weakened form of the VZV virus, can get shingles later in life. But, people who were vaccinated against chickenpox have a significantly lower risk of developing shingles later in life compared to those who naturally contracted chickenpox, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The chickenpox vaccine is available in South Africa's private sector but is not provided in the public sector as part of government's expanded programme on immunisation. Chickenpox is usually mild in most children, but those with weakened immune systems at risk of severe or complicated chickenpox should be vaccinated against it, said Professor James Nuttall, a paediatric infectious diseases sub-specialist at the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital and the University of Cape Town. WHO SHOULD BE VACCINATED AGAINST SHINGLES? South Africa does not have guidelines regarding who should receive the shingles vaccine and when they should receive it. The US CDC recommends that all adults over 50 receive the two-dose Shingrix vaccine. They also recommend that people whose immune systems can't defend their body as effectively as it should, like those living with HIV, should get the vaccine starting from age 19. While Shingrix works better than Zostavax at preventing shingles, it has other advantages that make it a safer and better option for people with weak immune systems. The Zostavax vaccine contains a weakened live form of the VZV virus and thus poses a risk of complications in people with severely weakened immune systems. 'In the profoundly immunosuppressed, the immune system might not control the replication of this weakened virus,' explained Nel. The Shingrix vaccine does not contain any live virus and therefore does not present this risk. In March 2025, the WHO recommended that countries where shingles is an important public health problem consider the two-dose shingles vaccine for older adults and people with chronic conditions. '[T]he vaccine is highly effective and licensed for adults aged 50 years and older, even if they've had shingles before,' according to the WHO. It advised countries to look at how much the vaccine costs compared to the benefits before deciding to use it. THE COST OF NOT VACCINATING AGAINST SHINGLES The cost of not vaccinating against shingles is high for people who develop the condition, as well as the health system. Beyond preventing shingles and its complications, new evidence suggests that getting the shingles vaccine may also reduce one's risk of developing dementia and heart disease. In April, a large Welsh study published in Nature reported that people who got the Zostavax vaccine against shingles were 20% less likely to develop dementia seven years after receiving the vaccine compared to those who were not vaccinated. In May, a South Korean study published in the European Heart Journal reported that people vaccinated against shingles had a 23% lower risk of cardiovascular events, such as stroke or heart disease, for up to eight years after vaccination.
Reuters
13-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
India's GlaxoSmithKline Pharma reports profit rise on strong demand
May 13 (Reuters) - India's GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals ( opens new tab reported a higher fourth-quarter profit on Tuesday, led by steady demand for its generic drugs. The Indian unit of British drugmaker GSK (GSK.L), opens new tab reported consolidated profit of 2.63 billion rupees ($30.86 million) in the quarter ended March 31, up 35% year-on-year. Its revenue from operations climbed about 5% to 9.74 billion rupees. For further results highlights, click KEY CONTEXT GlaxoSmithKline Pharma has been benefitting from rising market share for its antibiotic Augmentin and respiratory drugs Nucala and Trelegy. Strong demand for its shingles vaccine, Shingrix, has also boosted earnings, the company said. These have also helped it mitigate the impact of pricing curbs on some of its drugs that have been on the Indian government's essential medicines list since September 2022. PEER COMPARISON * The mean of analysts' ratings standardised to a scale of Strong Buy, Buy, Hold, Sell, and Strong Sell ** The ratio of the stock's last close to analysts' mean price target; a ratio above 1 means the stock is trading above the PT JANUARY TO MARCH STOCK PERFORMANCE -- All data from LSEG -- $1 = 85.2150 Indian rupees
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Shingles vaccine has unexpected effect on heart health
The list of potential benefits of the shingles vaccine continues to grow. Beyond protecting against the viral infection and resulting painful rash, the shot has also been linked to a reduced risk of dementia, as Fox News Digital previously reported. And now, a new study has found that the vaccine could lower the risk of heart disease for up to eight years. Dementia Risk Could Dip With Common Vaccine, Study Suggests In the long-running study, researchers analyzed up to 12 years of data for more than 1.2 million people aged 50 or older in South Korea, focusing on shingles vaccination rates and 18 different types of cardiovascular disease. They found that those who received the shingles vaccine had a 23% lower risk of heart issues, including stroke, heart failure and coronary artery disease. Read On The Fox News App The benefits were greater for people under 60 years old, likely because they have a better immune response, according to the researchers. Blood Pressure And Dementia Risk Share Surprising Link, Study Suggests The vaccine's heart health benefits were also more prominent among men and those who have unhealthy behaviors, such as being sedentary, drinking alcohol and smoking. The findings were published in the European Heart Journal on Tuesday. The primary symptom of shingles is a painful rash that can lead to serious complications, particularly for older adults and those with weak immune systems, according to lead author Professor Dong Keon Yon from the Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea. Without vaccination, about 30% of people may develop shingles in their lifetime, Yon noted. "In addition to the rash, shingles has been linked to a higher risk of heart problems, so we wanted to find out if getting vaccinated could lower this risk," he said in a press release. "Our study suggests that the shingles vaccine may help lower the risk of heart disease, even in people without known risk factors. This means that vaccination could offer health benefits beyond preventing shingles." The researchers shared several possible reasons for the vaccine's protective effect on heart health. "A shingles infection can cause blood vessel damage, inflammation and clot formation that can lead to heart disease," Yon said. "By preventing shingles, vaccination may lower these risks." Dr. Jasdeep Dalawari, a Virginia-based interventional cardiologist and regional chief medical officer at VitalSolution, an Ingenovis Health company, was not involved in the study but offered his comments on the findings. "This result is notable but requires careful interpretation, especially for the U.S. population," he told Fox News Digital. "The study used a live vaccine, whereas the U.S. uses Shingrix, a recombinant (non-live) vaccine," Dalawari noted. "It's important to note that Shingrix is over 90% effective against shingles, compared to the live vaccine's 51%." The live zoster vaccine contains a weakened form of the varicella zoster virus that causes shingles. Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter The cardiologist also pointed out that the observational study shows correlation, not causation, and that further research is needed. "The study included 1.2 million individuals aged 50+, all from one ethnicity," he said. "Expanding the participant pool to include diverse ethnicities would be beneficial in our multi-ethnic society." Although the study did consider other health conditions, lifestyle factors and socioeconomic status, the researchers agreed that it had some limitations. "As this study is based on an Asian cohort, the results may not apply to all populations," Yon noted. "While we conducted rigorous analysis, this study does not establish a direct causal relationship, so potential bias from other underlying factors should be considered." For more Health articles, visit The team plans to conduct further research into the heart health benefits of the non-live, recombinant vaccine, which contains a protein from the article source: Shingles vaccine has unexpected effect on heart health
