newsGP - Further expansion of NIP shingles vaccinations

News

GPs can now offer their immunocompromised patients over 18 years old a subsidised shingles vaccine, but the expansion has raised questions about supply.

The Federal Government has announced another significant expansion to its shingles vaccination offering through the National Immunisation Program (NIP), with anyone over the age of 18 years who is immunocompromised, due to an underlying health condition or as a side effect of treatment, now able to access a free vaccine.   The move follows a $800 million investment in November last year, when all Australians aged over 65 were offered free protection against shingles.   Federal Health and Aged Care Minister Mark Butler announced the move on Sunday, saying more than 1.3 million Australians have so far received a free shingles vaccine since the Government commenced its new program.   ‘Without vaccination, almost one in three Australians will get shingles in their lifetime,’ he said,   ‘Without listing it on the NIP, Australians who are immunocompromised due to an underlying health condition would have to pay up to $560 for their vaccine.’   Although the move to increase vaccination rates for shingles has been widely welcomed, GPs across the country were forced to put patients on waiting lists following the NIP changes last year as demand grew.   This latest plan has raised more concerns about how the Government is going to shore up supplies this time around.   RACGP Expert Committee – Quality Care member, Associate Professor Paresh Dawda, said the vaccines had been ‘really well received’ and it is a positive thing to see immunocompromised people now included.   ‘Certainly, in the existing eligibility, with the over 65s, there’s been quite a high demand for it as well,’ he told newsGP.   ‘But they need to ensure that the supplies are sufficient, and GPs are given the supplies to meet the expected demands and needs, because in the initial rollout we had a fair bit of trouble.’   The Federal Government has committed $57.7 million over four years to expand the Shingrix program to prevent shingles and post-herpetic neuralgia.   In May 2023, the Government allocated $446 million for recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV, sold as Shingrix) to replace the less effective live-attenuated varicella zoster virus vaccine (Zostavax), a move welcomed by the RACGP.   GP and Immunisation Coalition Chair Dr Rod Pearce told newsGP he was aware of informal discussion with the vaccine’s provider about making sure there will be enough supply to meet this increased demand.   ‘They’ve told us they are happy to supply anything that’s been asked,’ he said.   ‘We would encourage the Government to make sure it requests enough to support the program that it’s now recommending, so we don’t have the same barrier as we had before.’   Dr Pearce said this issue should not put GPs off getting patients onboard.   ‘This doesn’t undermine the fact that it’s a vaccine that’s looked at favourably, and the trials and the benefit from it clinically are good, so we would encourage its wider use,’ he said.   ‘It’s also critical that we make sure, if someone has their first dose, they get the second dose on time to fit with the maximum benefits.’   Associate Professor Dawda says he encourages GPs to get proactive about which patients of theirs should be receiving the vaccine.   ‘My advice would be for GPs and practices to consider proactively identifying their patients over 18 years old who are immunocompromised and meet the eligibility criteria and looking at inviting them in to have the vaccine,’ he said.   Log in below to join the conversation.

National Immunisation Program shingles Shingrix vaccination