U.S. advisers give qualified "yes" to experimental shingles vaccine

Federal health advisers endorsed a proposed vaccine on Thursday to help battle an often-excruciating disease that afflicts as many as 1 million adults every year.

The Food and Drug Administration's advisory panel on &to=http://english.pravda.ru/science/19/94/379/15317_AIDS.html' target=_blank>vaccines said the vaccine for shingles appeared to be safe and effective in people aged 60 and older.

The vaccine, Zostavax, was developed by Merck & Co., which sought to have it approved for use in people aged 50 and older. But Merck conducted trials mostly on people over 60, leaving the members of the FDA panel on vaccines uncertain whether it was safe or effective for those between 50 and 60.

Whether to approve the vaccine for sale is now in the hands of the FDA. The agency often follows the advice of its advisory panels.