Patient Counseling

Here are topics to discuss with your patients before vaccinating with SHINGRIX.    

Icon: Explain Their Risks

Explain their risk of shingles:

  • Help patients understand the increased risk of shingles in immunocompromised patients1
  • Explain that in people who are immunocompromised, the rash tends to be more severe, with a prolonged duration, and the risk of potentially serious shingles-related complications is greater1
Icon: What to Expect

Discuss what to expect:

  • Inform patients that they may experience adverse reactions after receiving SHINGRIX. In clinical trials in immunocompromised patients aged 18 years and older, the following solicited adverse reactions were reported more frequently in the SHINGRIX groups compared to placebo groups*:
    • Local adverse reactions: pain, redness, and swelling
    • General adverse reactions: fatigue, myalgia, headache, gastrointestinal symptoms, shivering, and fever2
  • Explain that the local and general adverse reactions had a median duration of 1 to 3 days across all studies enrolling immunocompromised subjects2

*The safety of SHINGRIX was evaluated in 6 placebo-controlled clinical studies that enrolled 3116 subjects aged 18 years and older from 5 different immunocompromised populations, in which a total of 1587 received SHINGRIX.2 See Safety page for more details.

Icon: 2-Dose Series

Explain that SHINGRIX is given as a 2-dose series:

  • The first dose is administered at Month 0 followed by a second dose 2 to 6 months later2
  • For individuals who are or will be immunodeficient or immunosuppressed and who would benefit from a shorter vaccination schedule, administer a first dose at Month 0 followed by a second dose 1 to 2 months later2

Dosing schedule

Icon: What to Expect

Alternative dosing schedule

For those who are or will be immunodeficient or immunosuppressed and would benefit from a shorter vaccination schedule.

Alternative Dosing Schedule for SHINGRIX
Icon: Syringe

Stress the protection benefit of both doses:

  • The efficacy results of SHINGRIX were demonstrated in clinical trials when administered as a 2-dose series2
  • That is why it is important that your patients receive both doses of SHINGRIX
Icon: Telephone Follow Up

Help ensure series completion:

  • Schedule the follow-up immediately: Patients can receive the second dose 2 to 6 months later. Patients who are immunocompromised and would benefit from a shorter vaccination schedule can receive the second dose 1 to 2 months later2
  • Call ahead: Have the office staff call patients in advance of their follow-up
  • Encourage appointment reminders:
    • Once you set a date, have your patients place a reminder in their calendar
    • Patients can sign up for email, text, and phone reminders at SHINGRIXReminder.com

You may also be interested in:

Reconstitution & Administration

See how you and your staff can reconstitute SHINGRIX in 4 steps.

CDC Recommendations

See what CDC says about SHINGRIX.

Shingles Presentation

Learn about shingles symptoms and potential complications.