Shingles Vaccine: Potential Dementia Benefit and HSE Cost Barrier for Over-65s
Anthony Layng discusses the severe consequences of shingles in older adults due to weakened immune systems. He highlights the vaccine's potential to delay dementia, especially in women, but notes that its cost and lack of free provision by the HSE deter some over-65s from vaccination. Layng calls on Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill to make the vaccine free for this age group.
Anthony Layng responds to Jennifer Murphy's letter (May 5th) regarding shingles, highlighting that as people age, immune senescence weakens their immune systems, making shingles a more severe infection with serious consequences.
Layng notes an unintended benefit of shingles vaccination: it may suppress brain inflammation, potentially delaying or preventing age-related dementia, particularly in women. This offers significant savings in future public health and social costs. However, an unintended consequence of the vaccine not being free from the HSE is that some older individuals, believing that if it were truly beneficial it would be free, are dissuaded from getting it.
Geriatricians and gerontologists recommend shingles vaccination. Many European countries, including the UK, provide the double-administered vaccine free. Layng urges Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, to consult medical experts and reconsider the HSE's failure to provide the shingles vaccine free to the over-65s.