Shingles Vaccine

submitted June 23, 2010 by Matthew Ellis

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A recent New York Times article noted:

In 2006, the Food and Drug Administration approved a new vaccine against shingles. Clinical trials on the vaccine revealed that it could, with relatively few side effects, reduce the risk of developing shingles by more than half and the risk of post-herpetic neuralgia by over two-thirds. In 2008, a national panel of experts on immunizations at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention went on to recommend the vaccine to all adults age 60 and older.

In the two years since the vaccine became available, fewer than 10 percent of all eligible patients have received it. 

The NY TImes notes some problems with vaccine delivery, mostly related to patient cost and reimbursement procedures for doctors/patients. However, a quick Google image search of 'shingles' should be motivation enough to search out a solution to ensure those in your community receive the vaccination. 

NEHM has partnered with the Spotlight on Shingles Program to help distribute a Spotlight on Shingles toolkit. Included are promotional posters, PowerPoint presentation, handouts, evaluation forms, and anything else you might need to put on a program about shingles in your parish/community. 

To obtain your FREE Spotlight on Shingles Toolkit, simply fill out the form here. We'll pass your information along, and a kit will be mailed out shortly at no cost to you. I hope you'll include this program in your health ministry program. If you do, please drop us a line and let us know how it went!

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