Shingrix eligibility could expand under the NIP
07 Sep 2026
The manufacturer of Shingrix has made a new request to expand access to the vaccine through Australia’s National Immunisation Program (NIP).
GlaxoSmithKline Australia has submitted a request to the November meeting of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) to lower the eligibility age for its recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV), sold as Shingrix, from 65 to 60 years for non-Indigenous Australians.
Currently, a two-dose course of Shingrix is available for free through the NIP for:
- people aged 65 years and over
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 years and over
- people aged 18 years and over who are at increased risk of herpes zoster because of an underlying condition or immunomodulatory or immunosuppressive treatment.
The PBAC previously considered a submission from GlaxoSmithKline Australia to expand access to Shingrix but did not support the proposal.
The committee identified economic evaluation as the main reason for its decision. It also raised concerns that expanding vaccination to people aged 60 could reduce protection for older people, who have a higher risk of herpes zoster and post-herpetic neuralgia and may experience more severe illness.
Shingrix replaced the live attenuated herpes zoster vaccine, Zostavax, on the NIP in 2023. More than 2.5 million doses of Shingrix were given to adults aged 65 years and older during its first year on the NIP, compared with 97,000 doses in the previous year.
Research from the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, published in The Lancet in April 2026, also found a strong decline in shingles cases after Shingrix was introduced to the NIP.
Each year, around 10,000–15,000 people in Australia are diagnosed with shingles. For people who are not eligible for a subsidised two-dose course through the NIP, Shingrix can cost around $560–$600.
Dr Leanne Jones, a Tasmania-based GP and Immunisation Coalition Board Member, said broader access to the vaccine could provide significant benefits for patients.
She said many people are interested in receiving the vaccine, but the cost can be a barrier. She also highlighted the role GPs can play in recommending vaccination, as they are often the first point of contact for patients.
Shingrix eligibility could expand under the NIP
Source: RACGP newsGP / Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC)