South Africa: What If A Shingles Jab Could Also Protect Your Brain?
South Africa has launched the Shingrix vaccine, which prevents shingles and may potentially lower the risk of dementia. The article examines the high cost of the vaccine and the challenges of increasing adult vaccination rates in the country.
Why it matters
The introduction of a high-cost preventative treatment raises questions about public health accessibility and the economic trade-offs of medical innovation in developing markets.
Could a vaccine that protects you against one of the most painful diseases of older age also help keep your brain healthy? South Africa has finally launched Shingrix, a new shingles vaccine that studies suggest may lower the risk of dementia too. We unpack what the evidence really shows - and whether the hefty price tag is worth it.
This time last year, Melanie Verwoerd felt a pain like nothing she'd experienced before. A 20-centimetre wide band of angry blisters, stretching across her back and under her arm all the way to her stomach, kept the former Member of Parliament and South African ambassador to Ireland out of action for months. "I've had many operations and a lot of pain in my life, but never something like that," she says.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in