Valacyclovir
Treatment for Shingles
Typical Dosage: 1000 mg three times daily for 7 days
Effectiveness
90%
Safety Score
75%
Clinical Trials
23
Participants
35K
Comparative Safety Scale(Higher is safer)
Cyanide☠️
Meth💀
Cigarettes🚬
Chemo☢️
Alcohol🍺
Morphine💊
Antibiotics💉
Tylenol💊
Exercise🏃
Water💧
75
DangerousModerateSafe
Treatment Details
Dosage Range
1000 mg three times daily for 7 days
Time to Effect
1-3 days for symptom improvement
Treatment Duration
7 days
Evidence Quality
HIGHNumber Needed to Treat (NNT)
8(Treat 8 patients to see 1 additional successful outcome)
Number Needed to Harm (NNH)
100(Treat 100 patients to see 1 additional serious adverse event)
Confidence Score
95%confidence in effectiveness data
Health Economics
Annual Cost of Care
Drug Cost:$30
Monitoring:$50
Side Effect Mgmt:$10
Total Annual:$90
Cost-Effectiveness Analysis
Cost-Effectiveness Rating
EXCELLENTICER
$25,000/QALY
QALYs Gained
0.07
Outcome-Based Costs
Cost per Responder
$105.88
Cost per Remission
$120
Comparison vs Acyclovir
Cost Difference
+$15/year
More expensive
QALY Difference
+0.01 QALYs
Better outcomes
Dominance
No dominance
Prescription Access Economics
Annual Societal Loss per Patient
$-305
Cost of prescription-only barriers (visits, time, admin, price premium)
Physician Visit Cost
$120/year
Time Cost
$40/year
Travel + wait time
Insurance Admin Cost
$20/year
Prior auth, claims
Rx Price
$30/year
Potential OTC Price
$15/year
Estimated if OTC available
Early Treatment Benefit
+0.02 QALYs
From faster OTC access
Risk Assessment
Misuse Risk
LOWMissed Diagnosis Risk
MODERATEValacyclovir Outcomes
for Shingles
Efficacy Outcomes
Overall Effectiveness
+90%
Response Rate
+85%
Remission Rate
+75%
Common Side Effects
Nausea
+18%
Headache
+18%
Vomiting
+8%
Diarrhea
+8%
Sources:
Active Clinical Trials
1 active trial recruiting for Valacyclovir in Shingles
Efficacy of Electroacupuncture for Acute Herpes Zoster-Associated Pain and Biomarker Evaluation
NCT07515885RECRUITINGNA
228 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
Hangzhou, China
Started: Sep 1, 2025
Completed Clinical Trials
15 completed trials for Valacyclovir in Shingles
A Study of FV-100 Versus Valacyclovir in Patients With Herpes Zoster
NCT00900783COMPLETEDPHASE2
350 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
Started: May 1, 2009
Valacyclovir in Immunocompromised Children
NCT00059592COMPLETEDPHASE1
37 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
Philadelphia, United States +1 more
Started: Apr 7, 1998
Bioequivalency Study of Valacyclovir Hydrochloride 1000 mg Under Fed Conditions
NCT01132716COMPLETEDNA
48 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
Fargo, United States
Started: Sep 1, 2006
Bioequivalency Study of Valacyclovir Hydrochloride 1000 mg Under Fasting Conditions
NCT01132729COMPLETEDNA
48 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
Fargo, United States
Started: Sep 1, 2006
A Phase 2b Trial of EPB-348 for the Treatment of Herpes Zoster
NCT00831103COMPLETEDPHASE2
373 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
Houston, United States
Started: Nov 1, 2007
A Study of Vacyless® Versus Valtrex® in Patients With Herpes Zoster
NCT02152800COMPLETEDPHASE4
25 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
Taichung, Taiwan
Started: Apr 1, 2011
Dose-finding Study of ASP2151 in Subjects With Herpes Zoster
NCT00487682COMPLETEDPHASE2
403 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
Chūbu, Japan +4 more
Started: Nov 13, 2007
A Study Exploring Efficacy of Peginterferon in Patients With Herpes Zoster
NCT05492591COMPLETEDPHASE2
50 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
Nanjing, China
Started: Oct 11, 2022
Phase III Study of ASP2151 in Herpes Zoster Patients
NCT01959841COMPLETEDPHASE3
751 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
Sapporo, Japan +2 more
Started: Aug 1, 2013
Zoster Eye Disease Study
NCT03134196COMPLETEDPHASE4
527 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
Birmingham, United States +77 more
Started: Aug 23, 2017
Reduction of Postherpetic Neuralgia in Herpes Zoster
NCT01250561COMPLETEDNA
133 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
Houston, United States
Started: Feb 1, 2002
Randomized Study of Two Doses of Oral Valacyclovir in Immunocompromised Patients With Uncomplicated Herpes Zoster
NCT00006131COMPLETEDNA
66 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
Houston, United States
Started: Jan 1, 1997
Palatability Testing of a New Paediatric Formulation of Valacyclovir
NCT01682109COMPLETEDPHASE4
41 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
Nijmegen, Netherlands
Started: Sep 1, 2012
Bioequivalence Study in Healthy Volunteers of a New Paediatric Formulation of Valacyclovir
NCT01689285COMPLETEDPHASE1
16 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
Nijmegen, Netherlands
Started: Dec 1, 2013
Special Drug Use Investigation for VALTREX (Valaciclovir) (Pediatrics Chickenpox)
NCT01390857COMPLETED
379 participants
OBSERVATIONAL
Started: Nov 1, 2007
Showing 20 of 25 total trials