Benefit of varicella vax in question

Routine varicella vaccination has been called into question, with the spiralling burden of shingles now outweighing the benefit from reduced rates of chickenpox, US researchers claim.

In a review of the US varicella vaccination program, researchers criticised the monitoring of the program, claiming it had inadequately assessed the incidence and cost of herpes zoster since the vaccine’s release in 1995.

Reviewing available data from between 2000 and 2002, the