Parliamentary Search

Written question asked by Tania Mathias (Conservative) on Thursday, 13 October 2016, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 18 October 2016 (named day). It was answered by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford (Conservative) on Tuesday, 18 October 2016 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Chickenpox: Vaccination

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to advice published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the effect of varicella vaccination on shingles, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policy on mandatory varicella vaccination of the findings of that report.

Answer

In 2010, the Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisations (JCVI) considered the addition of varicella (chickenpox) vaccine in the childhood vaccination programme. After carefully considering all the available evidence, JCVI concluded that offering a universal varicella (chickenpox) vaccination programme would not be cost effective as it could lead to an increase in shingles (herpes zoster) in adults.

JCVI keeps all its recommendations under review and is currently in the process of reviewing the latest scientific evidence to establish whether a routine childhood varicella vaccination programme would be effective and of benefit in England; this includes evidence from other countries that have introduced a vaccination programme. JCVI will make its recommendations, once it has considered all the necessary evidence.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
48617
Session
2016-17
Subjects
Vaccination Chickenpox Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Shingles
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk