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Shingles trends and Shingrix vaccine research

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2026-09-14 20:22 UTC → 2026-10-12 11:17 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Recent data indicates a significant rise in shingles cases among younger adults, particularly millennial women in the United States and the United Kingdom. Research shows that cases among adults aged 30–49 in the U.S. more than doubled between 1998 and 2017, with activity in the U.K. currently exceeding the five-year average. Following the recommendation of the Shingrix vaccine to combat these rising rates, new research suggests the vaccine may offer additional health benefits. An analysis from the University of Oxford indicates that Shingrix is associated with a 9% lower overall cardiovascular disease burden, including a 10% reduction in ischemic heart disease risk and a 12% reduction in heart failure risk. Further findings published in Nature Medicine and the Annals of Internal Medicine noted a 12% lower stroke risk in men. Newer analysis of health records for adults aged 60 and older over a seven-year period suggests the vaccine is also associated with a 7% lower burden of atrial fibrillation. A study published in Nature Medicine, analyzing data from over 70,000 U.S. adults aged 60 and older, tracked the transition from the older Zostavax vaccine to Shingrix starting in October 2017. This research corroborated that Shingrix recipients experienced a 10% reduction in coronary heart disease risk and a 12% reduction in heart failure risk for both men and women. Additionally, a large-scale study from Brown University involving over 500,000 individuals found that Shingrix was associated with a 24% lower risk of dementia among adults aged 66 and older. This potential link was further supported by a natural experiment in Wales, where vaccinated individuals had approximately a 20% lower chance of developing dementia. Driven by these findings, demand for the shingles vaccine is increasing significantly across British pharmacies, with major chains reporting substantial rises in bookings.

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