Safety Profile

Studied in 2 phase 3 clinical trials.1

Solicited Local Adverse Reactions and General Adverse Reactions Within 7 Days of Vaccination1,4

  Aged 50-59 Years
All Grades/Grade 3a-e
Aged 60-69 Years
All Grades/Grade 3a-e

Aged ≥70 Years
All Grades/Grade 3a-e

Solicited Local Adverse Reactions

SHINGRIX %
n=1315
Placebo %
n=1312
SHINGRIX %
n=1311
Placebo %
n=1305
SHINGRIX %
n=2258
Placebo %
n=2263
Pain 88 / 10 14 / 1 83 / 7 11 / 1 69 / 4 9 / 0.2
Redness 39 / 3 1 / 0 38 / 3 2 / 0 38 / 3 1 / 0
Swelling 31 / 1 1 / 0 27 / 1 1 / 0 23 / 1 1 / 0

Solicited General Adverse Reactions

n=1315 n=1312 n=1309 n=1305 n=2252 n=2264
Myalgia 57 / 9 15 / 1 49 / 5 11 / 1 35 / 3 10 / 0.4
Fatigue 57 / 9 20 / 2 46 / 5 17 / 1 37 / 4 14 / 1
Headache 51 / 6 22 / 2 40 / 4 16 / 0.2 29 / 2 12 / 0.4
Shivering 36 / 7 7 / 0.2 30 / 5 6 / 0.3 20 / 2 5 / 0.3
Feverd 28 / 0.4 3 / 0.2 24 / 1 3 / 0.2 14 / 0.1 3 / 0.1
GIe 24 / 2 11 / 1 17 / 1 9 / 1 14 / 1 8 / 0.4

Solicited Local Adverse Reactions and General Adverse Reactions Within 7 Days of Vaccination1,4

  All Grades/Grade 3a-e

Solicited Local Adverse Reactions

SHINGRIX %
n=1315
Placebo %
n=1312
Pain 88 / 10 14 / 1
Redness 39 / 3 1 / 0
Swelling 31 / 1 1 / 0

Solicited General Adverse Reactions

n=1315 n=1312
Myalgia 57 / 9 15 / 1
Fatigue 57 / 9 20 / 2
Headache 51 / 6 22 / 2
Shivering 36 / 7 7 / 0.2
Feverd 28 / 0.4 3 / 0.2
GIe 24 / 2 11 / 1
  All Grades/Grade 3a-e

Solicited Local Adverse Reactions

SHINGRIX %
n=1311
Placebo %
n=1305
Pain 83 / 7 11 / 1
Redness 38 / 3 2 / 0
Swelling 27 / 1 1 / 0

Solicited General Adverse Reactions

n=1309 n=1305
Myalgia 49 / 5 11 / 1
Fatigue 46 / 5 17 / 1
Headache 40 / 4 16 / 0.2
Shivering 30 / 5 6 / 0.3
Feverd 24 / 1 3 / 0.2
GIe 17 / 1 9 / 1
  All Grades/Grade 3a-e

Solicited Local Adverse Reactions

SHINGRIX %
n=2258
Placebo %
n=2263
Pain 69 / 4 9 / 0.2
Redness 38 / 3 1 / 0
Swelling 23 / 1 1 / 0

Solicited General Adverse Reactions

n=2252 n=2264
Myalgia 35 / 3 10 / 0.4
Fatigue 37 / 4 14 / 1
Headache 29 / 2 12 / 0.4
Shivering 20 / 2 5 / 0.3
Feverd 14 / 0.1 3 / 0.1
GIe 14 / 1 8 / 0.4

The majority of solicited adverse reactions were mild to moderate (Grade 1 or 2).
Median duration of the above solicited adverse reactions was 2 to 3 days.1-3

  •   aGrade 3 pain defined as significant pain at rest; prevents normal everyday activities.1
  •   bGrade 3 redness and swelling defined as >100 mm in size.3
  •   cGrade 3 myalgia, fatigue, headache, shivering, GI defined as preventing normal activity.1
  •   dFever defined as ≥37.5°C/99.5°F for oral, axillary, or tympanic route, or ≥38°C/100.4°F for rectal route; Grade 3 fever defined as >39.0°C/102.2°F.1
  •   eGI=Gastrointestinal symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and/or abdominal pain.1


Total vaccinated cohort for safety included all subjects with at least 1 documented dose (n).

Rates observed during 1-year follow-up period1

  SHINGRIX Placebo
SAEs 10.1% 10.4%
Deaths 0.8% 0.9%
pIMDs 0.6% 0.7%

SAE=serious adverse event;

pIMD=potential immune-mediated disease.

Study Analysis:

The safety of SHINGRIX was evaluated by pooling data from 2 placebo-controlled clinical trials involving 29,305 subjects aged 50 years and older who received at least 1 dose of SHINGRIX (N=14,645) or placebo (saline solution) (N=14,660) administered according to a 0- and 2-month schedule. In Studies 1 and 2, data on solicited local and general adverse events were collected using standardized diary cards for 7 days following each vaccine dose or placebo (ie, day of vaccination and the next 6 days) in a subset of subjects (n=4886 receiving SHINGRIX, n=4881 receiving placebo with at least 1 documented dose).1

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Only SHINGRIX delivered >90% efficacy against shingles regardless of age in those 50 years and older.1,*

Learn how age-related decline in immunity is a dominant driver of shingles and can lead to a sharp increase in both the incidence and complications of shingles.4-6

See what CDC says about SHINGRIX.

CDC=Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

*Data from the phase 3 ZOE-50 (≥50 years of age) trial (median follow-up period 3.1 years) and pooled data in individuals ≥70 years of age from the phase 3 ZOE-50 and ZOE-70 trials (median follow-up period 4 years) in subjects who received 2 doses of SHINGRIX (n=7344 and 8250, respectively) or placebo (n=7415 and 8346, respectively). These populations represented the modified Total Vaccinated Cohort, defined as patients who received 2 doses (0 and 2 months) of either SHINGRIX or placebo and did not develop a confirmed case of herpes zoster within 1 month after the second dose.1,7 See study designs on the Efficacy page for details.