FDA Approves Zoster Vaccine for Younger Adults

[Guest guest]

This is very good news. It was previously available to those only 60 or older.

THis vaccine helps prevent shingles, which can be an extremely painful,

longterm, and debilitating illness.

Please talk with your family docs to see if YOU should get the vaccine.

Many insurances will not pay for the vaccine, and it can be expensive - $100 or

so - but it is WELL worth it. Afte 2 minutes of shingles pain (that can last for

months) I promise you'd be willing to pay the $100 ten times overbut it will be

too late by then.

Sandy

________________________________________

FDA Approves Zoster Vaccine for Younger Adults

March 24, 2011 — The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today

approval for a vaccine to prevent herpes zoster, also known as shingles, in

adults age 50 to 59 years.

The vaccine (Zostavax, Merck & Co., Inc.), a live attenuated virus vaccine, was

already approved for prevention of zoster in adults 60 years of age and older in

May 2006.

" The likelihood of shingles increases with age. The availability of Zostavax to

a younger age group provides an additional opportunity to prevent this often

painful and debilitating disease, " said Midthun, MD, director of FDA's

Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, in a news release.

Approval was based on a multicenter placebo-controlled trial conducted in the

United States and 4 other countries among approximately 22,000 adults who were

50 to 59 years of age. Study participants were followed for at least 1 year for

the development of zoster. Results showed that compared with placebo, the

vaccine reduced the risk of developing zoster by approximately 70%.

The most common side effects observed were redness, pain, and swelling at the

site of injection and headache.

[Guest guest]

hey Sandy,

do you have an email where I can send you a private? I need instructions on a

certain topic.

thanks!!

On Mar 25, 2011, at 1:39 PM, moonshadow.sandy wrote:

> This is very good news. It was previously available to those only 60 or older.

THis vaccine helps prevent shingles, which can be an extremely painful,

longterm, and debilitating illness.

>

> Please talk with your family docs to see if YOU should get the vaccine.

>

> Many insurances will not pay for the vaccine, and it can be expensive - $100

or so - but it is WELL worth it. Afte 2 minutes of shingles pain (that can last

for months) I promise you'd be willing to pay the $100 ten times overbut it will

be too late by then.

>

> Sandy

> ________________________________________

>

> FDA Approves Zoster Vaccine for Younger Adults

>

>

> March 24, 2011 — The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today

approval for a vaccine to prevent herpes zoster, also known as shingles, in

adults age 50 to 59 years.

>

> The vaccine (Zostavax, Merck & Co., Inc.), a live attenuated virus vaccine,

was already approved for prevention of zoster in adults 60 years of age and

older in May 2006.

>

> " The likelihood of shingles increases with age. The availability of Zostavax

to a younger age group provides an additional opportunity to prevent this often

painful and debilitating disease, " said Midthun, MD, director of FDA's

Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, in a news release.

>

> Approval was based on a multicenter placebo-controlled trial conducted in the

United States and 4 other countries among approximately 22,000 adults who were

50 to 59 years of age. Study participants were followed for at least 1 year for

the development of zoster. Results showed that compared with placebo, the

vaccine reduced the risk of developing zoster by approximately 70%.

>

> The most common side effects observed were redness, pain, and swelling at the

site of injection and headache.

>

>