Study links Shingrix vaccine to lower cardiovascular risk

A new study suggests that the shingles vaccine Shingrix may significantly reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular conditions, potentially preventing hundreds of thousands of cases worldwide if confirmed in clinical trials. The research, published in Nature Medicine on August 26, 2026, analyzed health records of more than 72,000 adults aged 60 and older in the United States and found that those who received Shingrix had a lower incidence of cardiovascular events compared to those who received an older vaccine, Zostavax. The study, led by Dr. Maxime Taquet of the University of Oxford, leveraged a natural experiment created by the rapid transition in the U.S. from the live-attenuated Zostavax vaccine to the recombinant Shingrix vaccine in late 2017. Researchers compared outcomes for people vaccinated between April and September 2017, when 98.6% received Zostavax, with those vaccinated between April and September 2018, when 93.5% received Shingrix.