Shingles vaccine for adults before age 60 not cost effective: study

Shingles can make daily tasks too daunting because of the pain and itchiness it can bring its victims, especially older adults. Fortunately, there is an available vaccine to reduce shingles risk and while it is recommended for individuals ages 50 and above, a new study suggests that getting the vaccine earlier than 60 may not be cost-effective and wise.

Reuters reports that according to an analysis done at the Cleveland Clinic, the result is supporting what the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been saying all along - shingles vaccine is not recommended for people in their 50s. Lead author Phuc Le states that even if the vaccine is effective, the value it offers for that age group, when compared to the actual benefits when administered to someone in their 60s, is not the same.

Dr. Michael Rothberg, senior author of the study, believes that the vaccine offers protection for 10 to 12 years when given to someone who is in their 60s or 70s. However, if a person is vaccinated at the age of 50, the individual will become unprotected by the time he reaches 60.

Newsmax writes that in order to prove their conclusion, the team estimated the vaccine's effectiveness by having a computer analyze the data of individuals ages 50 to 59. Based on calculations, for every 1,000 vaccinated individuals at the age of 50, only 25 cases of shingles and one shingle-related pain case will be prevented. For a treatment to be considered cost-effective, it needs to cost $100,000 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) and the result of the study suggests that the vaccine will be over $300,000 QALY if given before the age 60.

The researchers state that almost a million Americans suffer from shingles yearly and a lot of these individuals have experienced persistent pain or postherpetic neuralgia, even when they get antiviral drugs as treatment.

Incidentally, Dr. Eddy Bresnitz, the executive director of medical affairs at Merck, reminds the public not to forget the importance and impact of the vaccine in the long run, Pierce Pioneer adds. He shares that the FDA-approved Zostavax has a 70 percent efficacy rate when used in individuals 50 to 59, making it extremely effective in preventing shingles from occurring.

Dr. Rothberg counters that if the vaccine can last longer and cost lower, then it might be more cost-effective for that age group. However, the chances of getting a lower cost vaccine, say $80 per dose, is very unlikely; thus the price overpowers the possible benefit, the doctor tells Reuters.

The study was published online in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine last Monday.