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news.Health insurer WellPoint has said that effective immediately it will cover a vaccine manufacture by Merck & Co, called Zostavax, designed to prevent shingles, a painful condition resulting from the reactivation of the chickenpox virus.
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The vaccine will be covered for individuals 60 years of age and older whose benefit plans provide coverage for vaccines. WellPoint already provides benefits for Zostavax based on the FDA’s licensure of Zostavax on May 25, 2006.
The decision to cover Zostavax, manufactured by Merck, was made following formal recommendations provided yesterday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). ACIP recommended that Zostavax be offered to all individuals 60 years of age and older.
Zostavax is currently the only licensed vaccine in the US that reduces the risk of reactivation of the chickenpox virus.
“We believe this vaccine is a medical breakthrough that will benefit seniors throughout the country,” said Sam Nussbaum, executive vice president and chief medical officer for WellPoint.
According to WellPoint policy, immunization coverage decisions are based on recommendations issued by ACIP and other nationally recognized organizations.