The government drug-buying agency recently ranked an application to fund the vaccine for those who missed out due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Grey Power has called for an expansion of the current model, which funds shingles vaccines for those aged 65 — but no older.
Grey Power Otago president Jo Millar said this could leave many older people vulnerable to the disease, a painful rash that can have serious complications.
This included around 32,000 people in Otago over the age of 65.
"Under current funding guidelines, there is a considerable number of older people who missed out on getting the shingles vaccine either because they were over 65 when it was funded, or because they didn’t get the vaccine in their 65th year due to them not knowing, or not being able to access a GP due to post-Covid-19 measures.
"There is an urgent need for funding for all adults over 65 years of age, who are at increased risk and have a reduced ability to pay for the vaccine privately."
Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora (HNZ) put the cost of the two-dose vaccination — also free for people with specific conditions such as end stage kidney disease — at between $600 and $800.
Its website states anyone who has had chickenpox is at risk of developing shingles later in life, and recommends the vaccine for anyone older than 50.
Mrs Millar said many pensioners simply could not afford to pay for the vaccine, despite being at increased risk.
"What I’m concerned about is the number of our members who develop shingles when they are in their 70s and have ended up in hospital for three or four days unnecessarily.
"It is clear a greater investment is needed when it comes to the health of 65s and over."
The call for an expansion was echoed by geriatrician Dr Tyson Oberndorfer, who warned of a common complication of shingles, postherpetic neuralgia.
It could cause persistent pain lasting for years, as well as depression and reliance on long term pain medication, he said.
Pharmac senior therapeutic group manager Alexandra Compton said shingles vaccine Shingrix had been funded for people aged exactly 65 since April 2018.
Last week access was widened to certain immunocompromised groups, which would benefit 15,000 people, she said.
Pharmac continued to look at ways to make the shingles vaccine funded for more people, although it had a fixed budget.
"There are currently four applications on our options for investment (OFI) list, which is the list of medicines we’d like to fund if we can, and one further application that’s under assessment.
"We’ve recently ranked one new proposal on the OFI, and reconsidered three other applications.
Pharmac’s website shows the proposal would cover people who did not receive the shingles vaccine during the Covid pandemic, but did not disclose its ranking.
Health Minister Shane Reti’s office said the shingles vaccine rollout was an operational issue, for HNZ to respond to.
HNZ did not answer ODT questioning on the issue.
