The national health regulator has discouraged incorporating a shingles inoculation into the standard adult vaccination schedule. The Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) has commented that despite the effectiveness of the shingles vaccine, its current price tag does not warrant its distribution as a beneficial use of resources.
Currently, each dose of the said vaccine is priced at €151, yet Hiqa advises that the cost should be reduced to less than €30 for it to be deemed cost-effective if administered at ages 75 and 80. Shingles, which are caused by the same viral agent responsible for chickenpox, trigger a painful rash which mimics blisters. While the majority of individuals recover within a month, some continue to suffer pain for extended periods.
In Ireland, the vaccines are only available privately and most patients are those over 50 or with compromised immune systems. The expense for a five-year shingles vaccination scheme, if it covers half of the adult population aged 50 or older, would range from €15.1 million for those vaccinated at age 85 to €76.8 million for those vaccinated at 50. The funds needed for a 100% vaccine coverage for the immune-impaired was approximated to be around €56.4 million over half a decade.
The shingles vaccine is state-funded in five countries in the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, typically commencing at age 65. Hiqa is in the process of a public discussion on this issue, inviting input until the end of the month. The final call will be decided by the Health Minister, Stephen Donnelly.
Dr Conor Teljeur, Hiqa’s main scientist, mentioned that while the shingles vaccine proves to be safe and effective, the benefit dwindles over time. He added that under the prevailing cost, introducing the vaccine to the routine immunisation schedule for individuals above 50 wouldn’t warrant the use of health service resources.
Between 2013 and 2022, an average of 285 patients with shingles were hospitalised annually, with 54 deaths recorded, primarily amongst people aged 75 or above. Individuals can only develop shingles if they have previously been infected with chickenpox. Out of every 10 chickenpox patients, three are likely to suffer from shingles at some point in their lives.