US Pharm. 2012;37(5):1.
Atlanta, GA—A Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD) study of more than 193,000 adults has found that the herpes zoster (shingles) vaccine is generally safe and well tolerated. The VSD project, a collaborative effort between the CDC and eight integrated care organizations, examined adverse effects of the vaccine in adults aged 50 and older. Data were retrieved from electronic health records. There was a small increased risk of local reactions from 1 to 7 days after vaccination, corroborating clinical trials of the vaccine in which there was evidence of a minor local injection-site reaction (redness and pain). Researchers found no increase in the risk of cerebrovascular diseases, Bell’s palsy, Ramsay Hunt syndrome, or meningitis, encephalitis, or encephalopathy.
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