Catherine Conlon: Giving older people the shingles vaccine is a no-brainer

While several countries provide for the vaccine, Ireland is one that doesn't because it is not cost-effective, despite it protecting against dementia, Alzheimer’s and heart disease, writes Dr Catherine Conlon

The Oireachtas Committee on Health heard calls for the shingles recombinant vaccine to be made available free to those over 65 years. File photo

A growing body of evidence suggests the shingles vaccination may lower the risk of dementia as well as stroke and heart attack, causing a furore of interest in recommendations around its availability to older adults. This hugely exciting evidence is very new, and medical experts are now calling for the vaccines to be made free to older people.

Consultant geriatrician and stroke physician, professor Ronan Collins told the Oireachtas Committee on Health recently that programmes for child vaccination are the norm but Ireland’s approach to adult vaccination has been less robust.