Important: VAERS reports alone cannot determine if a vaccine caused an adverse event. Reports may contain incomplete, inaccurate, or unverified information. Correlation does not equal causation.
6,468 adverse event reports (+3% vs 2024)
In 2025, 6,468 adverse event reports were filed for Zoster Live (Zostavax) in VAERS. This represents 4.6% of all 140,312 reports for this vaccine.
Of these reports, 23 mentioned death, 128 involved hospitalization, 366 required ER visits, and 56 reported disability.
Compared to the average of 6,673 reports per year for this vaccine, 2025 was below average (-3%).
In 2025, reporting for Zoster Live (Zostavax) was within typical ranges. As always, VAERS data reflects reports filed, not confirmed adverse events. Trends should be interpreted alongside vaccination volume and population health data.
This data comes from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), jointly managed by CDC and FDA.