Plan for new jab to eradicate chickenpox

Published on Saturday 3 January 2009 19:20

WOMEN and children could be vaccinated against chickenpox under plans being considered by health officials.

Adults could also be vaccinated against shingles, which is caused by the same virus.

One option being considered by Government advisers would be to combine the chickenpox vaccine with the MMR jab, creating a four-in-one shot for babies.

The move is under consideration by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.

Its recommendations are also given serious consideration by the Scottish Government.

Chickenpox is seen by many as a routine childhood illness but it claims 50 lives across the UK every year.

However, there are concerns that adding the vaccine to the childhood immunisation programme will overload the immune system of babies, who are already given 25 vaccines in 10 shots by the age of 13 months. The issue is being discussed by the JCVI in March, which will also discuss whether to include pregnant women in the programme.

Babies in the womb are at particular risk from chickenpox if the mother becomes infected, and it can cause brain damage and blindness.

The vaccine costs around 30 a shot so the cost-effectiveness will be considered.

Children are already routinely immunised against chickenpox in the US, Australia and Germany.

Professor Adam Finn, an expert on vaccination at Bristol University's medical school, predicted that the chickenpox jab could be introduced within five years.

He said: "In 999 cases out of 1,000 chickenpox is a trivial illness, but that's not the point… If you want to prevent the deaths, the only way to do that is to immunise everybody."