Are shingles vaccines free?

Does state health insurance refund shingles vaccines?

A new, more effective vaccine against shingles (zona) has been recommended since spring 2024.

Called Shingrix, it replaced an older, less effective vaccine.However, it was only in December 2024 that the French government officially included Shingrix as part of its vaccination programme calendar.

The vaccine is recommended to people over the age of 65, as well as people aged 18+ who are immunocompromised.

People belonging to these groups can have it state-reimbursed at 65%. The remaining 35% should in most cases be covered by people’s top-up mutuelles if they have one. The vaccine is, however, expensive, costing around €187 per dose, of which state healthcare will reimburse €122.

It is given in two doses, two months apart.