I just came from my annual physical and my dr and I discussed the new vaccine as I’ll be 60 in a few months and insurance will cover vaccine 100%. He brought up the new vaccine. He’s been part of a group of Drs being asked if patients will be willing to get a vaccine which has many more side effects versus the older, less effective vaccine, which has few side effects.
I made an appt for just after my b’day to get the old vaccine…
I heard a while back that the new, more effective shingles vaccine would be available in 2017, so my plan is to wait for the new vaccine. (I am 63) Meanwhile, my wife got scared into getting the current vaccine. My doctor was ok with my plan, even though it wasn’t his plan. @emilybee , I didn’t hear about more side effects. What’s the deal with the side effects?
^ I only know what my dr told me today - that the new vac has “many more” side effects then present vaccine. I didn’t ask him what they were. I’ve been wanting to get the vaccine for awhile but it’s not covered until I turn 60 and I’m not waiting any longer then I have to so didn’t bother going into details about new vac with him for that reason.
This is interesting. I got the old vaccine as soon as I was eligible (60), having had so many friends suffer the tortures of the damned with shingles. I am now 63. I wonder if a person who has had the older vaccine can also have the newer one, and if it would do any good?
I wonder the same thing, Consolation and also wonder what the side effects are likely to be so I could plan my timing
I do not understand why insurance companies will not cover the vaccine for people under 60.
I decided to get the vaccine before I was 60 after hearing horror stories from one of my best friends in high school who almost lost her sight to shingles. The old vaccine made my arm itch for a week, so I’m not eager to find out what the new one does!
DH got shingles when he was 41 years old. It was horrible. Our 9-week-old baby was hospitalized with RSV the same day DH was diagnosed. DH couldn’t come anywhere near the hospital to see the baby since he could have given somebody chicken pox. 
I had the old vaccine few years ago and I was well under 60. My insurance covered it.
My insurance will not cover until age 60.
I checked after 2 friends of mine got shingles in their 50’s.
Googling gives some information about the side-effects of the new vaccine.
Also, like oldfort’s insurance, mine also covers the shingles vaccine before age 60 (it covers it from 50-up).
The currently available Merck Zostavax shingles vaccine costs about $200 for those who self-pay.
I had shingles 5 years ago when I was 50. Despite getting anti-viral drugs quickly, it spread to my eye (shingles were on my forehead) and I have had a cascade of serious, permanent eye issues since then. I got the vaccine a couple years ago, and as long as I had a prescription from my doctor, my health insurance covered it (CareFirst, part of Blue Cross).
Now I’m wondering if I can get the new one at some point as well or if that would be unsafe somehow.
I self-paid for the original vaccine. I’m wondering about getting the new one too. I will be curiously watching for info about getting both vaccines. Insurer should be willing to pay for the 2nd, since they didn’t have to pay for the 1st.
I can’t remember any side effects of original shingles vaccine.
I got the shingles vaccine at the same time as a flu shot, and my arm did itch for several days, with a little swelling. Not a big deal.
People who have had shingles can get the vaccine so it doesn’t seem that pre-exposure to the virus creates a risk for subsequent vaccination. Just as kids are now recommended to get booster chickenpox vaccines, it is likely that adults will benefit from booster shingles vaccines. From the article it appears the main reason that the new vaccine is more effective is that it uses a novel compound that boosts immune response (an adjuvant).
At 52 my friend had shingles that affected her eye and is still dealing with symptoms 10 years later. It’s frustrating that insurance coverage decisions are based on cost-benefit-risk analysis without enough weight placed on the suffering of those who contract the disease.
I’m sure by the time the vaccine gets FDA approval, there will be some guidance for those of us who have already had the original shingles shot as to what will be the effect of adding this 2nd vaccine.
According to http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/shingles/vacc-need-know.htm , the current Merck Zostavax shingles vaccine’s protection lasts about 5 years.
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6333a3.htm is a more detailed page which suggests a “vaccine effectiveness of 21.1% (CI = 10.9%–30.4%) for prevention of herpes zoster and 35.4% (CI = 8.8%–55.8%) for prevention of PHN over years 7 to 10 combined”.
GSK has filed for regulatory approval for its new vaccine, which is called Shingrix.
http://www.gsk.com/en-gb/media/press-releases/2016/gsk-announces-us-regulatory-submission-of-candidate-vaccine-for-prevention-of-shingles/
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-gsk-shingles-idUSKCN12O0I6