Guidelines Push for More Patients to Receive Shingles Vaccinations

Patients in the 50- to 59-year-old age range should receive vaccination against shingles, according to the latest recommendation from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). That guidance accompanied a rare—and nearly evenly split—nod to one vaccine over another. In an 8-7 vote, ACIP recommended the recently approved Shingrix (GlaxoSmithKline) over Zostavex (Merck). Both vaccines are FDA-approved for use in patients 50 and over, but ACIP recommends Zostavex only in patients over the age of 60. ACIP recommendations are not binding, but typically are a precursor to official guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The key point for the urgent care operator is that another decade’s worth of patients should be offered shingles vaccine, with the guidelines being a timely reason to broach the subjects with patients in that age group.