Zostovax is a vaccine designed to reduce the risk of contracting shingles for people 50 years or older – when the virus is most commonly contracted.
It was approved by the FDA in 2006.
Zostavax contains the live varicella zoster virus, which is the same as the chickenpox virus known to cause shingles.
The live and weakened form of the shingles virus is used in order to activate the immune system.
After fighting this weakened version of the virus, the body builds immunity.
There is always a risk with vaccines that use a live form of the virus because if the form is not weakened enough — it will expose the person to the very thing they are attempting to protect themselves from.
Zostavax shingles vaccine lawsuits allege that this live or “attenuated” version of the virus was too potent for certain people causing them to develop shingles instead of fight against it.
Reportedly, Zostavax only works about 51% of the time and lasts six years.
Until 2017, it was the only FDA approved shingles vaccine in the United States.