Two women who developed shingles after vaccine treatment are claiming the vaccine’s manufacturer failed to warn them about its associated risks.

Plaintiff Phyllis F. and Judith E. claim that they contracted shingles because of Zostavax, a shingles vaccine that allegedly contains too much live virus for many patients to handle, causing them to develop the illness. The two women claim that they were diagnosed with shingles after being inoculated with the Zostavax vaccine, and suffered severe emotional, physical, and economic injury as a result.

The two women claim they both received the vaccine in Florida, and received the vaccine for its intended purpose of preventing shingles over a long period of time. Judith states that she was given the vaccine in 2008, while Phyllis states that she received her vaccine in 2012. Both women claim that they developed severe side effects in 2016.

Phyillis states that she was diagnosed with conjuntivochalsis of the left eye on or around June 20, 2016, then states that her doctor determined her condition to have developed into a vesicular outbreak of herpes zoster, or shingles on the left side of her face. She states that she “suffered from shingles and eye complications, as well as painful and persistent physical injuries and damages, and other serious injuries despite [and as a result of] being inoculated with the Zostavax vaccine.”

Judith claims that she also developed shingles as a result of being inoculated with the Zostavax vaccine, claiming that in June of 2016, she developed a vesicular outbreak on her left back, chest, and abdomen. She states that this outbreak was diagnosed as herpes zoster, or shingles.

The two women claim that Merck, the manufacturer of the Zostavax vaccine, failed to adequately inform medical providers and the public about the serious possible side effects of the Zostavax vaccine. Shingles vaccines contain a weakened chickenpox virus and serve to help the immune system guard against shingles, because shingles are thought to be symptomatic of a reaction to a dormant chicken pox virus.

Most shingles viruses come with the risk of some side effects, like headaches, local reaction to the injection, fever, joint pain, muscle pain, nausea, and chicken pox or shingles. However, Zostavax allegedly has more live shingles virus than most other vaccines, and thus, is alleged to cause more serious side effects.

Patients have reported numerous cases of contracting shingles after vaccine, as well as other severe side effects associated with shingles after vaccine as a result of Zostavax, including

• blindness
• rashes
• myalgia
• arthralgia
• anaphylactic reactions
• necrotizing retinits
• gastrointestinal disorders
• paralysis
• brain damage
• death

As a result of numerous consumer reports of shingles after vaccine side effects, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration required the addition of two black box warning changes to Zostavax’s warning labels in 2016. The new requirements dictated that potential vision damage be explicitly called out.

However, many patients report severe side effects outside of what is listed on the drug’s label, including those listed above. If you or a loved one experienced shingles after vaccine or severe shingles-related side effects after taking Zostavax, you may have a legal claim.

The Shingles After Vaccine Lawsuit is Case No. 2:18-cv-14095-JEM, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Fort Pierce Division.