Shingles

Prevention

A shingles vaccine, Zostavax, was approved by the FDA in May of 2006 for use in adults 60 years of age or older. According to research published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the vaccine cut the occurrence of shingles in half and reduced the severity and complications in people who were vaccinated but still developed shingles. The vaccine is available by prescription. The vaccine is given as one shot under the skin.