Irish Deputies Demand State-Funded Shingles Vaccine for Over 65s, Citing €500 Cost
Irish parliamentarians are demanding state funding for the shingles vaccine for adults aged 65 and over, currently costing up to €487. They argue for equitable access, citing significant health benefits beyond shingles prevention, and challenge pharmaceutical pricing and current assessment methodologies.
Ireland's parliament is challenging the government over its failure to fund a recommended shingles vaccine for adults aged 65 and over. A Joint Committee on Health meeting on April 15th highlighted that the two-dose vaccine costs €450-€487 privately, which is equivalent to 1.5 weeks of the maximum State pension of €299 per week.
Active Retirement Ireland, with over 21,000 petition signatures, emphasized that a recommended vaccine should not be exclusive to those who can afford it, noting that Northern Ireland provides the vaccine free for adults aged 70-79. Senator Joe Conway expects the vaccine to be available within a couple of years, as the government did not oppose a cross-party motion on the issue.
Professor Rónán Collins, a consultant geriatrician, presented medical evidence that flu, RSV, and shingles infections increase the risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease by two to eight times. He also stated that vaccination against viral infections can reduce dementia risk by up to 20%, arguing that current cost-effectiveness models do not adequately factor in these broader health benefits.
Deputies Martin Daly and Senator Teresa Costello urged GSK, the manufacturer, to lower the vaccine price, with Daly noting a study suggested an 80% price reduction for cost-effectiveness. Deputy David Cullinane highlighted that covering over-75s and immunocompromised patients would cost €5 million, a small fraction of the €27.4 billion health budget. The committee also called for a separate assessment process for vaccines, distinct from conventional drug reimbursement frameworks.