Flip asked
Are the two Shingrix vaccines exactly the same in terms of composition, amount, etc? Thank you.
At a glance
- Dose 1 and dose 2 of Shingrix are exactly the same. They contain the same active and inactive ingredients, in the same amounts.
Answer
Yes, each dose (2 total) of Shingrix that you receive are exactly the same. There is no difference between them.
Each 0.5 mL dose of Shingrix contains:
- 50 mcg of recombinant gE antigen
- 50 mcg of MPL
- 50 mcg of QS-21
- 20 mg of sucrose (as stabilizer)
- 4.385 mg of sodium chloride
- 1 mg of DOPC
- 0.54 mg of potassium dihydrogen phosphate
- 0.25 mg of cholesterol
- 0.160 mg of sodium dihydrogen phosphate dihydrate
- 0.15 mg of disodium phosphate anhydrous
- 0.116 mg of dipotassium phosphate
- 0.08 mg of polysorbate 80
- Residual amounts of host cell proteins (≤3.0%) and DNA (≤2.1 picograms)
Shingrix does not contain preservatives and the vial stoppers are not made with natural rubber latex.
Shingrix Dosing Schedule
The dosing schedule for Shingrix is as follows:
- One dose (0.5 mL) intramuscularly initially.
- A second dose (0.5 mL) intramuscularly 2 to 6 months later.
The preferred site for intramuscular injection is the deltoid region of the upper arm.
As mentioned above, each dose of Shingrix you receive is the same. There is no difference in ingredients or constituents from dose one to dose two. They are the same product.
Additional Information
Shingrix is a recombinant vaccine recommended for adults at least 50 years of age and older to prevent shingles and related complications.
The Centers for Disease Control recommend that all adults 50 years of age and older and without a contraindication (e.g. an allergy) receive herpes zoster vaccination with (Shingrix), even in those who previously received Zostavax. Shingrix is given as a two-shot series, with doses separated by 2 to 6 months.
In studies, Shingrix has been shown to maintain its efficacy for longer periods of time when compared to Zostavax. In addition, Shingrix is not a live vaccine, unlike Zostavax.
