ZOSTAVAX, live attenuated shingles (herpes zoster) vaccine

INFECTIOLOGY - New medicinal product
Opinions on drugs - Posted on Feb 23 2015

Reason for request

Inclusion

Minor therapeutic improvement in the prevention of herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia in the populations recommended by the French High Council for Public Health

 

  • ZOSTAVAX is a live attenuated vaccine with Marketing Authorisation in the prevention of herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia in adults age 50 and over.
  • Its efficacy is modest on the incidence of herpes zoster and its protection decreases with the vaccination age and over time.
  • This vaccine must be used according to the recommendations of the French High Council for Public Health (HCSP), i.e. in non-immunocompromised patients 65 to 74 years old.

Clinical Benefit

Moderate

In view of:

  • the modest efficacy on the incidence of herpes zoster in the populations recommended by the Haut Conseil de la Santé Publique [French Public Health Council] (HCSP),

  • the decrease in vaccine protection with age and over time,

  • the contraindication of vaccination in immunocompromised subjects,

the Committee considers that the actual benefit of ZOSTAVAX is moderate in the prevention of zoster and post-herpetic neuralgia, in the populations recommended by the HCSP.


Clinical Added Value

minor

ZOSTAVAX provides a minor clinical added value, level IV) in the prevention of herpes zoster, in the populations recommended by the HCSP.


-