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Research Highlights
VA Research Determines Shingles Vaccine Effective for Older Adults
May 26, 2006
In one of the largest studies conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs, (over 38,000 men and women older than age 60 participated), VA investigators examined the effectiveness of a vaccine that would eliminate or reduce the severity of shingles in older adults. Shingles (herpes zoster) is a painful disease marked by a blistering rash and sometimes complicated by nerve damage. The disease is caused by the reactivation of the virus that causes chickenpox and it can occur in anyone who has had chickenpox.
The Shingles Prevention Study was a placebo-controlled, double-blind trial in which participants were randomized to receive either the zoster vaccine or placebo at 22 study sites across the United States - including 16 VA medical center sites and at six sites coordinated through the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). Findings indicated a 51% reduction in the risk of developing shingles in those who were vaccinated compared to participants who received the placebo vaccine.
The study was a collaborative effort of VA, NIAID, and Merck & Co, Inc., the producer of the vaccine. FDA approved the vaccine in May, 2006. See press release for further info.
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