Approved Research

The population-level effects of herpes zoster vaccination in the UK

Lay summary

Shingles is a painful rash that occurs when the varicella-zoster virus, which causes chickenpox, becomes active again in the body. It is most commonly seen in older people and can leave permanent marks. In 2013, the UK's National Health Service introduced a vaccination program for people aged 70 to 79 years to reduce the incidence of shingles. The aim of this research is to determine the effect of the vaccine on the incidence of shingles and postherpetic neuralgia (nerve pain that can occur after shingles), as well as its potential effects on other health conditions such as heart attacks and strokes.

We will use both quasi-experimental as well as more standard approaches to estimate the effect of the vaccine on the probability of experiencing shingles in the future. We will also compare changes in outcomes between those who received the vaccine and those who did not between baseline and follow-up assessments. The project duration is 36 months, and the aim is to inform public health decisions on the availability and coverage of the herpes zoster vaccine.

In summary, we aim to study the impact of the shingles vaccine on the probability of getting shingles and other health conditions, using various analytical methods. The research will inform public health decisions on the vaccine's availability and coverage, with potential benefits for people in the UK and other countries.