CanAge asks National Drug Scheduling Advisory Committee to make new shingles vaccine more accessible

On June 7th, we presented to the National Drug Scheduling Advisory Committee, asking them to make the newer and more effective shingles vaccine more easily accessible to seniors, especially those in rural and remote, marginalized, and underserved communities.

In “policy language”, this means changing the vaccine from Schedule I to Schedule II Status.

Our submission to the committee had 3 main points:

1. Shingrix (the best-in-class shingles vaccine) meets the threshold for funding for the schedule change;
2. Adult Vaccinations must be encouraged, particularly since COVID19;
3. Health Equity to access vaccines will be substantively improved, particularly to rural and remote, marginalized, and underserved communities.

Funding and access to the recommended senior-specific vaccines for seasonal flu, shingles and pneumonia is a core part of our advocacy (under I: Infection Prevention and Disaster Response in VOICES: A Roadmap to an Age-Inclusive Canada).

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