Zostavax(®) is a live attenuated shingles (herpes zoster) vaccine approved in 
the EU for the prevention of herpes zoster (HZ) and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) 
in adults aged ≥50 years. Zoster vaccine protected against HZ in adults aged 
50-59 years (ZEST trial) and ≥60 years [Shingles Prevention Study (SPS)], and 
also reduced the burden of illness associated with HZ and the risk of PHN in 
adults aged ≥60 years (SPS). A large amount of real-world data also supports the 
efficacy of zoster vaccine. Results of the SPS Short- and Long-Term Persistence 
Substudies and real-world studies indicate that zoster vaccine provided 
continued benefit in the longer term, albeit with a gradual decline in vaccine 
efficacy over time; long-term effectiveness studies are ongoing. The need for a 
booster dose is still unknown, but a study showed that, if necessary, a booster 
dose administered to adults aged ≥70 years who received their first dose of 
zoster vaccine ≥10 years previously was immunogenic. Zoster vaccine had a 
favourable safety and tolerability profile, with the most commonly reported 
adverse events being non-severe injection-site reactions. In conclusion, zoster 
vaccine reduces the incidence of HZ and PHN, thereby reducing the burden of 
illness associated with HZ; improved uptake of zoster vaccine is needed.