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Cost-benefit studies have demonstrated that when societal costs are considered as well as direct medical costs, $5.40 is saved for every $1.00 spent on varicella vaccination in children.

Experience with vaccination programs both in the U.S. and elsewhere, has consistently demonstrated that childhood vaccination programs are much more successful than those aimed at adolescents and adults.

In extensive pre- and post-marketing studies in the United States, the live varicella vaccine was found to be extremely safe in susceptible children and adults. In pre-licensure clinical trials, more than 11,000 healthy adults and children were immunized without even moderate toxicity. Adverse effects, such as irritation at the injection site and rash, were minor and transient.

In a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial with patients 60 years of age and older, the use of the zoster vaccine reduced the burden of illness due to shingles by 61.1%, reduced the incidence of postherpetic neuralgia by 66.5% and reduced the incidence of shingles by 51.3%.

Antiviral therapy does not prevent postherpetic neuralgia in all persons. In antiviral trials, approximately 20% of persons >50 years of age continue to have pain 6 months after the rash, despite treatment beginning within 72 hours of rash onset.