Patients who have received the Zostavax shingles vaccine and experienced side effects six months later may qualify to join a lawsuit investigation into adverse vaccine reactions.

What is Zostavax?

Zostavax is a shingles vaccination distributed by Merck & Co. The vaccination contains a live but weakened version of the chickenpox virus, and helps to stimulate the immune system in order to prevent the development of shingles. Zostavax was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2006.

Although the drug is approved for adults over the age of 50, it is recommended that adults receive the vaccine at age 60, when the likelihood and severity of shingles is likely to be highest. According to the Mayo Clinic, Zostavax protects patients against shingles for approximately five years after they receive the vaccine. Zostavax is generally given as a single injection shot in the upper arm.

What is Shingles?

Shingles is an infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus. This is the same virus that causes chickenpox. After someone contracts chickenpox, this virus stays in the body for years afterward in a dormant state. However, the virus may be reactivated by a variety of factors, including age, stress and immune system disorders. Once this virus is reactivated, it manifests as shingles.

According to Medical News Today, approximately 1 in every 3 people will develop shingles during their life, and there are approximately 1 million cases of the condition each year in the United States. The infection generally presents as a painful and itchy blister rash, usually on one side of the body or in a strip on the torso. The blisters may also result in tingling or numbness.

What are the Possible Side Effects of Zostavax?

Common side effects of Zostavax include pain, tenderness, swelling, redness, or irritation at the site of the injection. Many patients also experience headaches following the injection. According to Merck’s patient information sheet, fever, joint pain, muscle pain, and nausea may also be expected for many patients following injection.

In addition to these common side effects, more dangerous adverse reactions have been reported. According to the FDA, there have been reports of blindness, paralysis, brain damage, and death due to the shingles vaccination. Patients have also reported gastrointestinal disorders, rashes, arthralgia, myalgia, and anaphylactic reactions to the FDA’s Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System.

Other side effects that have been reported in relation to the Zostavax vaccine include:

• Hearing loss
• Necrotizing Retinitis
• Neurological disorders
• Ramsay Hunt
• Paralysis
• Acute myelitis
• Bell’s Palsy
• Encephalitis

If you received the Zostavax shingles vaccination within the last two years and experienced at least one of the listed side effects within six months of your injection, you may be eligible to participate in a class action lawsuit or investigation regarding shingles shot reactions.

Hiring a qualified attorney and filing a Zostavax lawsuit may help you to recover compensation for expenses including lost wages, disability, wrongful death, and more.