Not enough evidence to confirm if shingles vaccination reduces risk of dementia, says Hiqa

Hiqa looked at three areas including the link between shingles and dementia, between the vaccine and dementia, as well as between adult vaccination generally and dementia. File picture

The Health Information and Technology Authority (Hiqa) has said the evidence is not strong enough to say the shingles vaccine by itself directly reduces the risk of dementia, though the risk may be lower in people who had the vaccine.

Hiqa examined the impact of the shingles vaccine on dementia after evidence emerged globally suggesting it could reduce the risk.