Ten years after its launch in the United States, a new, more effective shingles vaccine is finally set to hit the market in South Africa. While the vaccine, called Shingrix, should soon be available at private sector pharmacies, it seems unlikely that it will be provided in the country's public healthcare system any time soon.
A more effective shingles vaccine is finally set to hit the market in South Africa. Shingles is a common and painful condition that mostly affects the elderly and people with weakened immune systems. It generally appears with a telltale red rash and cluster of red blisters on one side of one's body, often in a band-like pattern.
"Shingles is pretty awful to get - it's extremely painful, and some people can get strokes, vision loss, deafness and other horrible manifestations as complications," infectious disease specialist Professor Jeremy Nel previously told Spotlight. "Shingles really is something to avoid, if at all possible."
One way to prevent the viral infection, is to get vaccinated against it. Unfortunately, getting hold of shingles vaccines have been a challenge in South Africa.
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A vaccine called Zostavax, from the pharmaceutical company MSD, was approved by South Africa's medicines regulator in 2011, but taken off the market here in 2024. It was only around 50% effective at preventing shingles.
A more effective vaccine, called Shingrix, was introduced by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in the United States in 2016. Shingrix is estimated to be around 90% effective in preventing shingles.
But, as Spotlight reported last year, access to Shingrix in South Africa has been severely constrained. That was partly because the vaccine had not been registered by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA). Because of this, the only way to get the vaccine in the country was via a Section 21 application - a mechanism in the Medicines Act that allows for the limited importation of unregistered medicines.
That situation changed earlier this month when Shingrix was registered by SAHPRA, thus opening the door for the jab to be imported at scale and sold at pharmacies.
"GSK's vaccine against shingles (herpes zoster) is expected to be available in South Africa by the end of June 2026," a GSK spokesperson told Spotlight this week.
It will be launched at a price of R2 783 per dose, including VAT. The total price charged by pharmacies will be slightly higher due to extras like the cost of administration.
Shingrix vaccination requires two doses administered two to six months apart. Since Shingrix is a schedule 4 product, you will need a prescription from a doctor to get it. (You can see more technical details about the vaccine as released by SAHPRA here.)
What about public sector access?
After a vaccine is registered by SAHPRA, the next step on the road to potential public sector access is typically for that vaccine to be considered by the National Advisory Group on Immunisation (NAGI). NAGI then makes a recommendation to the National Department of Health on whether or not the vaccine should be procured for the public sector.
"The decision for the public health sector to offer any vaccine, including Shingrix, is based on the recommendations by NAGI, which considers a number of factors, including availability of [the] registered health product, effectiveness and safety, operational feasibility, alignment with public health priorities, and whether sufficient funding is available," Foster Mohale, spokesperson for the National Department of Health, told Spotlight.
He said the department has not yet received NAGI's assessment outcomes and recommendations regarding Shingrix.
It seems likely that an asking price of over R2 000 per dose will be considered unaffordable for the public sector. That said, the price will have to be weighed up against the savings that will result from fewer people developing shingles and requiring treatment.
Spotlight asked GSK whether the company has engaged with the health department regarding the potential supply of Shingrix to the public sector and what price they might offer the government (the department of health often procures medicines at lower prices than what is asked in the private sector).
A GSK spokesperson responded: "As Shingrix is expected to become available in South Africa by the end of June 2026, we anticipate its initial introduction within the private sector. GSK is open to relevant discussions regarding the availability of this vaccine in the public sector."
What about medical scheme coverage?
For now, it is unclear to what extent medical schemes in South Africa will cover the jab.
"For a vaccine to be considered for funding by the medical scheme, it must be registered with SAHPRA, have a valid NAPPI code, and be commercially available in South Africa," Dr Noluthando Nematswerani, Chief Clinical Officer at Discovery Health, told Spotlight.
Nematswerani pointed out that Shingrix is not yet commercially available in the country. Spotlight received her comments on 25 June 2026.
When Shingrix does become commercially available, that is to say when it's available in pharmacies, it seems likely that at least some medical scheme members will be able to access it using their medical savings accounts.
"Discovery Health Medical Scheme funds vaccines that are registered with SAHPRA from the member's available Medical Savings Account (MSA) on plans that include an MSA benefit," said Nematswerani.
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"Until Shingrix becomes commercially available locally, Discovery Health Medical Scheme members can only access Shingrix via a Section 21 authorisation process. Medicines accessed under Section 21 are treated as a general scheme exclusion and are therefore not funded from scheme benefits," she said.
Who should get the vaccine?
As we previously reported, South Africa does not have guidelines regarding who should receive the shingles vaccine and when they should receive it. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all adults over 50 receive the two-dose Shingrix vaccine. They also recommend that people whose immune systems can't defend their body as effectively as it should, like those living with HIV, should get the vaccine starting from age 19.
In March 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended that countries where shingles is an important public health problem consider the two-dose shingles vaccine for older adults and people with chronic conditions.
"The vaccine is highly effective and licensed for adults aged 50 years and older, even if they've had shingles before," according to the WHO. It advised countries to look at how much the vaccine costs compared to the benefits before deciding to use it.
