Zostavax Shingles Lawsuits

Side effects of the shingles vaccine Zostavax may result in the development of a painful and persistent strain of shingles. Lawsuits are being reviewed by lawyers nationwide. 

STATUS OF ZOSTAVAX LAWSUITS: A growing number of Zostavax lawsuits are being pursued by individuals who have suffered recurring shingles outbreaks after receiving the vaccine. Product liability lawyers provide free consultations and case evaluations.

MANUFACTURER: Merck & Co.

OVERVIEW: Zostavax is a shingles vaccine first approved by the FDA in 2006, for the prevention of herpes zoster, also known as shingles. It is essentially the same vaccine used for chickenpox, but involves a much stronger version of the live varicella zoster virus.

Live virus vaccines are known to sometimes carry a risk of being “under-attenuated”, which occurs when the live virus is not weakened enough and puts the recipient at risk of developing the disease the vaccine was designed to prevent. Due to problems with the Zostavax shingles vaccine, users may be at risk of developing a much more severe form of the infection they were trying to avoid.

Varicella zoster virus is already known to reactivate on its own. The virus causes chickenpox in children. Shingles occur when the virus reactivates on its own later in life.

In February 2018, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a warning that Zostavax could cause a rash or shingles. The update to the Zostavax Vaccine Information Statement came following a number of adverse event reports to the FDA over the last several years.

Since then, a number of Zostavax lawsuits filed by plaintiffs nationwide indicate that they were diagnosed with a particularly persistent strain of shingles shortly after receiving the Zostavax vaccine. The first trials are slated to begin in November 2020.

ZOSTAVAX CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS: As a result of Merck’s failure to thoroughly research and test the vaccine, or adequately warn recipients or the medical community of the potential side effects of Zostavax, settlement benefits may be available.

If warnings and information about the risk of shingles from Zostavax use were provided, many users may have decided not to receive the vaccine, and cases of persistent shingles may have been avoided.