Health authorities fear shortage of shingles vaccine
Health care facilities in Missouri are reporting they have not received the shingles vaccine, Zostavax, and that it may be weeks before it is available.
Drug developer Merck had problems with a shortage of the live viruses, which has caused a shortage of vaccine. Merck is the only licensed manufacturer in the United States of the chicken pox, Varicella zoster, shingles, Herpes zoster, and the measles, mumps and rubella (MMRV) vaccine.
Rachelle Collinge, RN, BSN, assistant director of nursing and acting immunization coordinator with the Cole County Health Department, said: “All these are live virus vaccines, so they have to wait for the bulk culture to multiply to get sufficient quantity. They can be slow growing. Merck had some problems recently with a particular batch and it has created a shortage.”
To help combat the shortage, Merck took the MMRV vaccine off of the market temporarily, because both of those are available separately.
One dose of the shingles vaccine is recommended for those 60 years and older. According to www.merckvaccines.com, the Merck Web site, large doses of Zostavax that were ordered June 17-26 were being shipped this week. Those vaccines ordered after then are reported to have a 15-19 week delay. Vaccines ordered this week have a 10-13 week delay.
Missouri’s Cole County Health Department currently is out of the shingles vaccine, but has it on back order, Collinge said.
– by Gene J. Koprowski, Editorial Director
The shingles rash is caused by a form of the herpes virus:
Posted: October 9th, 2008 under Diseases, Herpes, Shingels.
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