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Information updates

Shingrix Vaccine to Prevent Shingles - Update

Shingrix®  is a varicella zoster virus recombinant vaccine that can provide protection from herpes zoster (shingles) and post-herpetic neuralgia (long-term nerve pain):

  • Advice for Health Care Professionals with regards to patient eligibility for the Shingles NIP can now be located at:

National Immunisation Program – Shingles vaccination – Program advice for health professionals | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

  • Additionally, due to the expansion of the Shingrix NIP as of September 2024, the Australian Immunisation Handbook (AIH) has been updated with the full list of eligible people aged 18 years and over, who are considered at increased risk of herpes zoster due to an underlying condition and/or immunomodulatory/immunosuppressive treatments, The link to the AIH can be found at:

https://immunisationhandbook.health.gov.au/resources/tables/table-risk-conditions-and-immunosuppressive-therapies-for-zoster-vaccination-and-eligibility-for-nip-funding

Funding of Shingrix from 1 November 2023 was announced by the hon Mark Butler (Minister for Health and Aged Care) on Sunday 8th October 2023.  The extended vaccine eligibility for 'high/medium risk' immunocompromised individuals iwill be considered at the November 2023 meeting of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC), so an announcement about this will be made after the transition from Zostavax to Shingrix on 1 November 2023.

ASCIA made a submission in January 2023  to support the PBS listing of Shingrix.

For details refer page 22 - https://www.pbs.gov.au/info/industry/listing/elements/pbac-meetings/agenda/november-2023-pbac-meeting  

From 1 November 2023 funding of Shingrix will be available for:

  1. All Australians over 65 (and over 50 for First Nation Australians), which includes all immunocompromising conditions above those ages.
  1. Immunocompromised adults aged 18 years and over with the following medical conditions;  haemopoietic stem cell transplant, solid organ transplant, haematological malignancy and advanced or untreated HIV.

https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-mark-butler-mp/media/shingles-vaccine-now-free-for-nearly-5-million-australians

This news item was issued on 17 October 2023 and updated on 11 March 2025 by Jill Smith, CEO of of ASCIA, the peak professional body of clinical immunology/allergy specialists in Australia and New Zealand.