The Zostavax shingles vaccine is meant to reduce the risk that a person will contract shingles, but some patients vaccinated with Zostavax may find that the vaccine can actually cause shingles.

What is Shingles?

Shingles is a viral infection that typically comes with a painful, burning rash. Most often, shingles occurs as a stripe of blisters wrapping around one side of the torso. Shingles may also cause painful side effects including headache, sensitivity to touch or light, and neurological complications that may interfere with facial movements, hearing, balance, or vision.

In some cases, it may also cause neuropathic pain, including a sensation of tingling, numbness, or burning in the extremities. Shingles is contagious during some phases of the virus and may be spread to other people. The infection may last from 2 to 6 weeks and can be very painful.

Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which also causes chickenpox. This virus never leaves the body, and instead lies dormant in a person’s cells. The virus may be reawakened by a variety of factors, and it becomes more likely to reawaken and cause shingles as you get older.

A person can only contract shingles if they have previously had chickenpox, and shingles are most common among those aged 50 and above. A number of factors can contribute to a person’s risk of contracting shingles, including stress, immune efficiency, physical trauma, and long-term steroid use, as well as general overall health. Shingles can even recur, striking twice or even three times in the same patient.

What is Zostavax?

Zostavax is a popular shingles vaccine developed by Merck & Co. It is available for those aged 50 years and older, the typical age range for shingles patients, and protects patients from the zoster virus (shingles) for about six years at most. However, Zostavax is effective in only about 50 percent of cases.

Additionally, this effectiveness decreases with age and with the length of time after the vaccination. Following the first year after the vaccination is received, Zostavax’s effectiveness drops to around 35 percent. Although people in their 60s may find Zostavax to be more than 60 percent effective, for people who are over 80, the effectiveness of the vaccination is less than 20 percent. In contrast to Zostavax, the newer shingles vaccine Shingrix is thought to be around 97 percent effective.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults 50 and over get a shingles vaccination—either Zostavax or Shingrix.

Unfortunately, for those who have been immunocompromised and their immune system is unable to fight off the weakened zoster virus in Zostavax, there is actually a risk that getting this vaccine may actually cause shingles.

What are Other Zostavax Side Effects?

Commonly reported side effects of Zostavax include redness, soreness, swelling, or itching at the site of the injection, as well as headaches. According to victims who claim they were injured by the Zostavax vaccine, the injuries related to the vaccination may be permanent in some cases. Other side effects reported by patients who were given the Zostavax vaccine include joint and muscle pain, diarrhea, flu-like symptoms, and skin rash.

On top of the risk that Zostavax itself may cause shingles in those it is meant to protect, patients have also reported a number of other side effects within 0 to 6 months of having the vaccine, including:

• Blindness
• Hearing loss
• Paralysis
• Brain damage
• Fatal liver failure

The FDA has issued a black box warning, now including the risk of vision damage due to eye inflammation.

Can I File a Zostavax Lawsuit?

So far, dozens of lawsuits have been filed against Merck & Co, along with its parent company, Bayer AG, alleging that the company failed to adequately warn consumers about the risks associated with Zostavax.

If you or someone you love has been affected by Zostavax side effects, including shingles, you may be able to file a lawsuit and pursue compensation. Of course, filing a lawsuit cannot undo the pain and suffering caused by medical complications, but it can at least help to alleviate the financial burden incurred by medical expenses, lost wages, and more.

Filing a lawsuit can be a daunting prospect, so Top Class Actions has laid the groundwork for you by connecting you with an experienced attorney. Consulting an attorney can help you determine if you have a claim, navigate the complexities of litigation, and maximize your potential compensation.