Martin Daly (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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195. To ask the Minister for Health the assessment that has been made of recent research linking the shingles vaccine to a reduced risk of dementia, and whether there are plans to incorporate this evidence into public health policy in Ireland. [24138/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The national immunisation programme in Ireland is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). The committee's recommendations are based on the prevalence of the relevant disease in Ireland and international best practice in relation to immunisation. It makes recommendations on vaccination policy to my Department. NIAC continues to revise recommendations to allow for the introduction of new vaccines in Ireland and to keep abreast of changes in the patterns of disease. It also considers emerging evidence and therefore the immunisation schedule will continue to be amended over time.

Once a recommendation from NIAC has been received and considered by the Chief Medical Officer of my Department, a request can be made to HIQA to carry out a Health Technology Assessment. This assessment looks at the evidence of the effectiveness and safety of the vaccine. The assessment also looks at the value for money, cost, organisational, social and ethical issues of providing a new vaccine. The information is collected and presented in a systematic, unbiased and transparent manner.

(NIAC) in Ireland recommends the recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV, Shingrix) for adults aged 65 and older, and for adults aged 18-49 who are at increased risk of shingles.

My department asked the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) to carry out a Health Technology Assessment (HTA) on the herpes zoster vaccine which protects against shingles.

HIQA published this HTA on 19 July 2024. The HTA found that adding the shingles vaccine to the routine immunisation schedule would not be cost effective and would be associated with a substantial budget impact.

Given that the healthcare budget is finite and decisions regarding increased spending relating to a change in one area could impact the provision of other health technologies and treatments within the healthcare system, the cost-effectiveness must be considered in any decision-making process. My Department has considered the findings of this HTA and determined that the introduction of the vaccine could be reconsidered when the cost effectiveness of the vaccine is confirmed as being more favourable.