New Delhi: India may be heading toward a significant but under-recognised public health challenge as shingles cases are poised to rise alongside ageing demographics and the growing prevalence of chronic illnesses, highlighted a GSK-commissioned survey released during Shingles Action Week.
Findings from a recent survey released by GSK during Shingles Action Week indicate that the combined effects of advancing age, diabetes, obesity, kidney disease and other long-term conditions are placing a larger share of India’s adult population at elevated risk of developing shingles, yet awareness and preventive action remain limited.
Shingles is caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus responsible for childhood chickenpox. The infection can remain dormant for decades before resurfacing later in life, typically as a painful, one-sided rash that develops into clusters of blisters.
Beyond the visible symptoms, patients often endure intense nerve pain that can persist long after the rash heals, significantly affecting daily functioning and quality of life.
According to the survey, 43 per cent of respondents who experienced shingles reported severe, day-disrupting pain, and more than one-third said the condition prevented them from working or participating in routine social activities.
Clinicians describe the sensation as sudden, shock-like nerve pain that can be debilitating, especially in older adults.
Prevention remains underutilised
Despite the disease burden, adult vaccination against shingles has yet to become part of mainstream preventive healthcare conversations in India.
Medical experts note that immunisation strategies have historically prioritised paediatric vaccines, leaving adult vaccination ecosystems fragmented and underdeveloped.
GSK, which markets a recombinant shingles vaccine in India, says vaccination can help boost waning immunity in adults aged 50 years and above, the group most vulnerable to the disease and its complications such as post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN), a chronic pain condition.
Clinical data referenced by the company suggests sustained protection and strong immune response over the long term.
However, uptake remains constrained by low awareness, absence of inclusion in national immunisation programmes, and limited insurance reimbursement.
Cost and policy gaps limit access
With vaccination costing roughly Rs. 20,000 for the two-dose regimen in the private market, affordability remains a major barrier. Unlike childhood vaccines, there is currently no large-scale public procurement or structured adult immunisation pathway for shingles prevention in India.
Experts argue that this policy gap could become increasingly consequential as India’s population ages rapidly and non-communicable diseases expand—two factors known to weaken immune resilience and increase susceptibility to viral reactivation.
Learning from global shifts in shingles prevention
Earlier-generation live-attenuated shingles vaccines, such as one developed by Merck & Co., played a pioneering role globally but saw declining use due to shorter duration of protection and variable efficacy among older adults, eventually leading to their discontinuation in several markets.
The shift toward newer, non-live vaccines reflects a broader move to provide longer-lasting immunity in ageing populations with comorbidities.
Push for adult immunisation dialogue
Public health stakeholders stress the need to integrate shingles awareness into India’s preventive healthcare narrative, alongside other vaccine-preventable diseases.
Industry and research groups are also working with policy think tanks to assess the economic burden of shingles, including productivity loss, long-term pain management costs, and healthcare utilisation.
As India navigates the dual challenge of longevity and chronic disease, experts caution that ignoring adult immunisation could allow shingles to evolve from an individual medical issue into a wider socio-economic strain one that is largely preventable with timely intervention.
