Advancing Shingles Prevention: Best Practices for Effective Vaccination and Patient Engagement

An expert discusses how to effectively engage patients in conversations about the shingles vaccine by using visual aids, clarifying misconceptions, and personalizing education based on timing and health status; they emphasize the importance of setting realistic expectations about adverse effects, identifying high-risk individuals through prescription history, and leveraging pharmacists’ regular contact with patients to drive timely, impactful vaccine recommendations.

An expert discusses strategies for educating patients about the serious, long-term complications of shingles by using vivid, relatable language and real-life examples—emphasizing the disabling nature of postherpetic neuralgia, leveraging personal stories to increase vaccine receptivity, and reframing shingles as a pain condition rather than just a rash to prompt more meaningful prevention conversations.