Zostavax is meant to protect against herpes zoster (shingles), but the live virus contained in the vaccine may be too potent for some people, leading some to get sick from the shingles vaccine.

What is Shingles?

Shingles is a viral infection accompanied by a painful rash, often appearing around one side of the torso, though shingles can occur anywhere on the body. Shingles is caused by the varicella zoster virus, which is the same virus that causes chickenpox. The chickenpox virus lies dormant in nerve tissue, which can reactivate as shingles years down the line.

What is the Shingles Vaccine?

The shingles vaccine Zostavax, manufactured by Merck & Co. and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2006, is used to inoculate against shingles in people age 60 and older.

Zostavax is an attenuated virus, which is intended to provide a stronger immune response to shingles than other viruses. However, some consumers say that the virus has more drawbacks than benefits. 

In most vaccines, a dead version of the virus is used to introduce the immune system to a virus. However, in the case of Zostavax and some other vaccines, a weakened form of the live virus is used instead of a dead form. Medicine Net explains that this weakened virus is known as an attenuated virus.

Vaccines.gov notes that there are benefits of vaccines that use an attenuated virus. Because an attenuated virus is stronger than a dead one, the immune response the body will develop to that virus will also be stronger. However, using an attenuated virus does not come without risks.

In the case of Zostavax, the attenuated, or weakened virus may strengthen again, and if a patient is inoculated with a strengthened virus, they can become sick with shingles. Some consumers say the drugmaker should have known that the varicella zoster virus was likely to strengthen, but used it in its attenuated form anyway, putting patients at risk.

In 2017, a new shingles vaccine, Shingrex, came on the market, causing Zostavax to fall out of favor since Shingrex was seen as having fewer risks. According to Vaccines.gov, the Zostavax competitor is a recombinant vaccine, meaning that it’s made with pieces of the varicella zoster virus, and therefore does not put patients at risk for becoming sick from the shingles vaccine. Despite Shingrex’s possible benefits, Zostavax remains on the market as an option.

How Effective is Zostavax?

Zostavax reduces the occurrence of shingles by about 50 percent in people age 60 and older. For those between 60 and 70, the effectiveness is at its highest at 64 percent, but its effectiveness begins to decline after that point.

What are Common Zostavax Side Effects?

The most commonly reported side effects of Zostavax are headaches and reactions at the injection site. About 1 in 3 people report redness, soreness, swelling, or itching at the injection site, and about 1 in 70 reports experiencing a headache.

In some cases, the shingles vaccine can cause a chickenpox-like rash near the injection site, but it should disappear on its own.

Are There More Serious Side Effects of Zostavax?

Although Merck’s patient information sheet for Zostavax indicates mild side effects, the drug has reportedly caused a number of much more severe complications, including blindness, paralysis, brain damage, and death, leading the FDA to issue black box warning changes on Zostavax labels. Zostavax warnings now also include the risk of vision damage from eye inflammation.

Other complications that have been reported via the FDA’s Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) include gastrointestinal disorders, rashes, arthralgia, myalgia, anaphylactic reactions, and necrotizing retinitis.

Can I file a Zostavax lawsuit?

A slew of lawsuits has already been filed against Merck over Zostavax side effects, accusing the company of failing to adequately warn patients about the vaccine’s risks.

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

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