Can the shingles vaccine slow ageing? The evidence is surprisingly strong
D EMENTIA IS tragically common among the elderly. In 2021 57m people worldwide were thought to have the condition. Ageing is a risk factor for many other ailments too, ranging from chronic inflammation to a decline in organ function. A growing body of work, however, suggests that simply taking a course of the shingles vaccine can meaningfully slow the decline. The new data, from a range of countries, suggests that it cuts risk by 20%.