Call for Nova Scotia to publicly fund shingles vaccine renewed

A step in the right direction.

That’s how Michelle Stewart describes the Nova Scotia government’s decision to fund the high-dose influenza vaccine for people 65 and older.

But the pharmacist, as well as other health-care professionals and advocacy groups, are calling on the provincial government to take another step in the right direction, this time with the shingles vaccine. 

Shingrix, the only shingles vaccine authorized for use in Canada, is not publicly funded in Nova Scotia despite the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommending in 2018 that it be publicly funded for people 50 and older. 

Stewart, a pharmacist at Poulain’s Pharmachoice in Stellarton, said it’s important that people get the vaccine for shingles, formally known as herpes zoster. 

One in three Canadians develop herpes zoster in their lifetime, according to Health Canada.

“Not only is that (statistic) bad enough, but there’s a lot more complications that can happen as a consequence of the virus becoming active,” Stewart said in an interview on Thursday. 

“We used to worry a lot about nerve pain as a result of having shingles. And that’s still a concern because that’s difficult to treat and people suffer immensely and chronically because of that,” she said.

“But now we have these other worries, right? Worried about stroke and heart attack, so we’re definitely seeing an increase after an infection of herpes zoster in these types of things happening as well.” 

Stewart noted while most people think of rashes and blisters when it comes to shingles, there is also a possibility that people can get shingles around the eye, resulting in permanent vision loss. 

Stewart said people come into the pharmacy every other day and are interested in getting the vaccine as they understand the importance of it, but one of the first questions they ask is about the cost. 

In Nova Scotia, the two-dose vaccine costs $175 per dose just for the injection. Some pharmacies require people to pay an administration cost as well. 

Up to 99.5% of adults 50+ carry the inactive virus that can cause shingles & up to 1:3 develop shingles in their lifetime. Get vaccinated! Learn more on #shingles & coverage in your area at: https://t.co/c6qwQNwCpE @CanAgeSeniors @gskca @IntFedAgeing #ShinglesAwarenessWeek pic.twitter.com/NTSUjzHrPT

— Laura Tamblyn Watts (she/her/elle) (@ltamblynwatts) March 2, 2022

“That’s a burden for a lot of people, the cost,” Stewart said. 

Laura Tamblyn Watts, president and chief executive officer of Canada’s National Seniors Advocacy Organization (CanAge), said removing the financial barrier makes a huge difference. 

“When a vaccine becomes publicly funded, particularly for an older adult or an adult population, it skyrockets,” Tamblyn Watts said. 

She said Shingrix should be publicly funded, especially for people older than 50, given the prevalence of shingles. 

Tamblyn Watts highlighted how fast the Nova Scotia government acted when it came to COVID-19, publicly funding the vaccine, raising awareness about it and making it easy to access. 

“The good news is we figured out how to do it. The bad news is we’re not continuing to do it,” she said. 

“When a vaccine becomes publicly funded, particularly for an older adult or an adult population, it skyrockets.”

– Laura Tamblyn Watts, president and CEO of CanAge

In its latest report card on vaccine access, awareness and funding for three NACI-recommended vaccines (high-dose influenza, pneumonia and shingles), CanAge gave Nova Scotia a failing grade.

Tamblyn Watts said Prince Edward Island, Yukon and Quebec are jurisdictions that have publicly funded Shingrix for a specific age category. 

“There is no metric where it doesn’t make sense to fund this,” she said. 

“There is only ignoring a problem and then it ends up in reactive care.”

In an emailed statement, the Health Department said it appreciates that the public is interested in vaccines that are not currently part of Nova Scotia’s publicly funded immunization program.

“There are many factors considered when deciding what vaccines will be a part of the publicly funded immunization program; this includes but is not limited to impacts of the disease, overall benefits to the population, cost, and availability of vaccine supply and delivery. These factors, combined with evidence and information provided by national public bodies, inform our policy decisions,” the statement said.

“We want to assure you that these policy decisions are given thoughtful consideration, and we continue to review all relevant factors to ensure the best available immunization program for all Nova Scotians.”