The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has commenced a public consultation on a draft Health Technology Assessment (HTA) of adding the chickenpox (varicella) vaccine to the routine childhood immunisation schedule.

HIQA undertook this HTA following a request from the Department of Health and the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC).

Chickenpox is an acute, infectious disease most commonly seen in children under 10 years old. The disease is usually mild, although it can lead to serious complications requiring hospitalisation. Anyone who has had chickenpox may develop shingles; this results from reactivation of the virus, and typically occurs in later life. Chickenpox is highly contagious: one infected person can potentially infect 10 to 12 others. It is estimated that there are currently over 55,000 cases of chickenpox every year in Ireland.

Dr Conor Teljeur, HIQA's Chief Scientist, said: "Vaccines against chickenpox have been available for over 30 years. In Ireland, the vaccine is already recommended for non-immune individuals in certain risk groups. Many countries include vaccination against chickenpox in their childhood immunisation schedules; however, the type of vaccine given, the number of doses and the timing of the doses differ."

The HTA assesses the clinical effectiveness, safety, cost effectiveness, budget impact, ethical and social aspects, and organisational changes associated with expanding the childhood immunisation schedule to include chickenpox vaccination.

Dr Teljeur continued “From reviewing the evidence, HIQA found that the chickenpox vaccine is safe and effective. Including it in the childhood immunisation programme would reduce the occurrence of chickenpox and would substantially reduce severe disease including hospitalisations. Vaccination is likely to represent a good use of healthcare resources and, when the broader cost to society of chickenpox is taken into account, vaccination is cost saving.”

HIQA wants to hear the views of the Irish public on this draft report before it is finalised and invites members of the public to provide feedback on the HTA until Monday, 29 May 2023.

Following this consultation, the report will be updated as necessary based on the feedback received. The final report will be subject to approval by the Board of HIQA. The report will then be provided as advice to the Minister for Health to inform a decision on whether or not to add the chickenpox (varicella) vaccine to the routine childhood immunisation schedule.

Ends.

For further information please contact:
Marty Whelan, Head of Communications and Stakeholder Engagement 085 805 5202 / mwhelan@hiqa.ie

Notes to the editor:

• Information in relation to chickenpox is available from the HSE, here.
• Varicella zoster virus can cause two clinical syndromes: chickenpox and shingles. Chickenpox results from the primary (initial) infection. Shingles results from a reactivation of the virus and occurs in about one third of cases.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) has advised that routine chickenpox immunisation for children should be considered in countries where chickenpox is an important public health burden and there are sufficient resources to vaccinate at least 80% of the population on an ongoing basis. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has also recommended introducing childhood immunisation for chickenpox, but only after countries have conducted their own assessments.
• Information in relation to the National Immunisation Advisory Committee and the primary childhood immunisation schedule are available here and here.
• The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has previously published the following document: Protocol for a Health Technology Assessment: Expansion of the childhood immunisation schedule to include varicella (chickenpox) vaccination.