Our Comments:
The ACIP (Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices) has recommended the Shingles vaccine, Zostavax made by Merck Inc. – it uses aborted fetal cell lines MRC-5 and WI-38. Note the vaccine clinical trials shows it worked in only 50% of the people, which is not exactly a sterling track record. But our question is how does one know whether those people who got the shot and did not come down with the disease would have every gotten shingles anyway? Not all people who contract chickenpox as children get shingles as adults. And many who are vaccinated for chickenpox also come down with shingles.
Gov’t Panel Recommends Shingles Vaccine
October 25, 2006 4:09 PM EDT
Antiviral medications are only of limited help, and some doctors say they do not prevent shingles from progressing into postherpetic neuralgia.
No vaccine was available until May, when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration licensed Zostavax, made by Merck & Co.
Shingles is caused by the varicella zoster virus, which also causes chickenpox. An estimated 15 percent to 30 percent of people infected with the virus develop shingles later in life.
The virus essentially hibernates for decades in nerve cells around the spine. It reactivates in some patients, probably because the body’s immune system weakens with age, doctors say.
The vaccine is a souped-up version of Merck’s chickenpox vaccine for children, with a live virus that is 14 times more potent.
The FDA approval was based largely on a study involving more than 38,000 people, with 19,000 getting the actual vaccine and others who got placebo. People who got the shot developed shingles at only half the rate of those who got the fake vaccine, researchers found.
Zostavax is not recommended for pregnant women, people with compromised immune systems or those with allergies to gelatin or other vaccine components.
Merck has sold about $11 million worth of the vaccine since it came on the market, company officials said.
The single-dose vaccine costs about $160 per shot. Some health insurers now cover it; the committee’s recommendation is likely to increase the number that do.
If the vaccine is covered, patients are less likely to decline the shot because of the large out-of-pocket cost, said Dr. Sandra Fryhofer, an Atlanta internist who has been an advocate for the shingles vaccine.
“That’s why the ACIP recommendation is so important,” she said.
Lorraine Bailey, one of Fryhofer’s patients, shared the doctor’s position.
Bailey, 78, had chickenpox as a child and developed a painful, red, welty rash on the right side of her face last fall.
“It’s like your face is on fire, even with the pain medication,” Bailey said. “I would have the vaccine, yes.”
Is risedronate sodium or actonel tested or derived from aborted fetal cells.
Andrew, the Tdap shots are ethically developed, tested and produced. There's a note at the bottom of the chart informing…
Anyone know about ethics and safety of Tdap for older kids and adults? I did not see it on the…
Thank you very much. I greatly appreciate your help and all the great work you do. God bless you all,…
Andrea, Paxlovid does not contain fetal cells. Aborted fetal cell lines were used in preclinical testing and were an essential…
I have Covid and my doctor has prescribed Paxlovid. I read that the development was compromised, but does the actual…
Chris, I sent a link to your email. You should have it shortly.
The link has disappeared. Where can I find the new updated ethical flu shot list for 2023-2024? Thank you.
Thank you kindly Jose for your help! Could you help me with one more …..Tamoxifen - for breast cancer? Does…
This is a reasonable rule of thumb, but there are exceptions. The poliomyelitis and rubella vaccines are examples of exceptions.…
Yvie, there is no comprehensive list, and this is due to the sheer number of approved drugs that are available.…
So, is it safe to say that if a medication is FDA approved before 1977 when fetal cell lines started…
Is there a list of medications that are abortion tainted? I'm in severe pain with fibromyalgia and am trying to…
Virginia, I have researched the development history of this drug and found no association with aborted fetal cell lines or…
Cefalexin was developed in 1967. This places its development prior to the advent of fetal cell lines in medical research.…