Concomitant Administration of HZ, Flu Vaccines Acceptable

Officials with the FDA have approved a biologics license application for Merck's live attenuated varicella zoster vaccine (Zostavax) to include safety and immunogenicity data to support concomitant administration of this vaccine and inactivated influenza vaccines.

A review committee noted that this recommendation includes quadrivalent inactivated influenza vaccines. They based their approval on data from 882 patients who were randomly assigned to either a concomitant vaccination or a nonconcomitant vaccination with influenza vaccine group. The data showed "that concomitant administration of Zostavax and inactivated quadrivalent influenza vaccine to adults ≥50 years of age is generally well tolerated and immunogenic."

Zostavax is a live vaccine indicated for prevention of reactivations of herpes zoster (HZ) infection (shingles) in patients 50 years or older. Although the vaccine is indicated for adults 50 years or older, officials with the Advisory Committed on Immunizatin Practices recommend that adults 60 years or older receive 1 dose of the herpes zoster vaccine.