Research published in the International Journal of Toxicology (IJT) by Gary S. Goldman, Ph.D., reveals high rates of shingles (herpes zoster) in Americans since the government’s 1995 recommendation that all children receive chicken pox vaccine.
Goldman’s research supports that shingles, which results in three times as many deaths and five times the number of hospitalizations as chicken pox, is suppressed naturally by occasional contact with chicken pox.
Dr. Goldman’s findings have corroborated other independent researchers findings that since death rates from chickenpox are already very low, any deaths prevented by vaccination will be offset by deaths from increasing shingles disease. Dr. Goldman was also published in the journal Vaccine showing a cost-benefit analysis of the universal chicken pox (varicella) vaccination program. Goldman points out that during a 50-year time span, there would be an estimated additional 14.6 million (42%) shingles cases among adults aged less than 50 years, presenting society with a substantial additional medical cost burden of $4.1 billion. This translates into $80 million annually, utilizing an estimated mean healthcare provider cost of $280 per shingles case.
Both chicken pox and shingles are caused by the same varicella-zoster virus (VZV). Adults receive natural boosting of thier defenses against shingles from contact with children infected with chicken pox.
Epidemiologists from the CDC are hoping “any possible shingles epidemic associated with the chickenpox vaccine can be offset by treating adults with a ’shingles’ vaccine.” This intervention would substitute for the boosting adults previously received naturally, especially during seasonal outbreaks of the formerly common childhood disease.
“Using a shingles vaccine to control shingles epidemics in adults would likely fail because adult vaccination programs have rarely proved successful,” said Goldman. “There appears to be no way to avoid a mass epidemic of shingles lasting as long as several generations among adults.”
Goldman’s analysis in IJT indicates that effectiveness of the chickenpox vaccine itself is also dependent on natural boosting, so that as chickenpox declines, so does the effectiveness of the vaccine.
The common knowledge within the medical community has assumed the reason the frequency of shingles increased with age is due to the older individuals’ immune systems are declining. However, Goldman’s new research shows the real reason is due to the fact that older people received fewer natural boosts to immunity as their contacts with young children goes down.
Gary S. Goldman, Ph.D. served for eight years as a Research Analyst with the Varicella Active Surveillance Project conducted by the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (LACDHS). The project was funded by the CDC.
I would like to point out, that Zostavax can cause shingles. I was a healthy 64 year old male who received the Zostavax vaccine on 2/5/08. Ten days later, my doctor diagnosed me with “classic shingles”. He put me on Valtrex for 7 days and 1 month later was still suffering with red spots on my (right) chest, severe pain in my right arm and shoulder, and severe itching. I notified Merck and my doctor also did! I read Merck’s “double blind” studies, and nowhere does it simply say: this vaccine can cause you to contract shingles. I have all the documentation as well as pictures. Please caution anyone who wants to gamble with their health. I don’t believe Merck is being as honest as they should regarding the safety of this vaccine.
By: David Rand on July 24, 2008
at 11:04 pm
Worse, a child relative received an errant chickenpox vaccine, came down with shingles; then so did I and then his dad (who was “cured” by the rapid acyclovir and lyrica treatment I recommended). But I had contracted first and didn’t know of the contagion and have suffered over a year of allodynia and internal pain with the shingles consequences and henceforth until it finally diminishes!
By: Vic Anderson on March 10, 2009
at 11:12 am
I would like to document in detail the case history of both David Rand and Vic Anderson for publication in Medical Veritas, a journal free from the conflicts of interest of the pharmaceutical industry.
Sincerely,
Gary S. Goldman, Ph.D.
Editor-in-Chief, Medical Veritas
By: Gary Goldman on April 20, 2009
at 6:39 pm
I contracted shingles at age 45, in 2007, right side facial dorsal root. This is dangerous as you can suffer damage to your eye from complications. I did not, thankfully. I had not been sick with any cold, flu or anything else for at least 3 years prior nor have I been sick with anything else since, so there is nothing to suggest that I am otherwise immuno-compromised. Onset in August 2007, at least 30 days of debilitating fatigue (I slept for up to 18 hours a day), 5 months of maddening postherpetic neuralgia as the nerves repaired and now, heading for the two year mark I still have some neuralgia where the symptoms originated, in the eyebrow. I was treated for 7 days with Valtrex at $45/day. Who can say whether it did any good? You can’t go back and not take it to see…! Costs are not limited to doctor/emergency room visit, 4 to 5 weekly opthalmologist visits (for facial attack), Valtrex or other anti-herpes treatment…there is the also the lost productivity initially and diminished function for some time after the initial event, and pain and suffering which can last months or years.
Jon Mitchell – Massachusetts…where it all began
By: Jon Mitchell on May 1, 2009
at 12:27 pm