A study of more than 100,000 Australians that found fresh evidence suggesting shingles vaccination reduces dementia risk has been chosen as one of JAMA’s most impactful research papers of the past year.

The analysis, co-authored by Professor Ruth Peters of The George Institute for Global Health, took advantage of “natural randomisation” by comparing dementia diagnoses among Australians who became eligible for a free shingles vaccination under the National Immunisation Programme with those who were too old to access the program [link here].

Free vaccines have been offered to Australians aged 70-79 since November 1, 2016. The research team compared two groups based on their birthdays to evaluate outcomes for those who were eligible for a vaccine when the scheme was introduced and Australians who had turned 80 before its introduction and therefore didn’t have access.

They found the probability of a new dementia diagnosis among Australians eligible for a shingles vaccine was close to 2% lower than those not eligible over a seven year period.

Dementia researcher Professor Ruth Peters was a co-author.

JAMA deputy editor Dr Mary McDermott said the study was “timely and topical” in an era of vaccine scepticism, with the paper having significant reach throughout the year. By the beginning of December, it had been viewed more than 70,000 times and featured by more than 100 news outlets.

The research corroborated findings of a Welsh study published last April [link here] suggesting an association between shingles vaccination and diminished dementia risk. The work “raises all kinds of questions about the role of viral infection” and provided “one more reason to get vaccinated”, said the journal’s deputy editor, Dr Preeti Malani.

The paper was one of nine studies selected as part of JAMA’s Research of the Year list for 2025, highlighting the most newsworthy, impactful and novel work published in the network’s journals [link here].

Other studies featured on the list list included:

• GLP-1RAs and heart failure: this review suggested patients with obesity-related HFpEF and type 2 diabetes who started a GLP-1RA had a 40% lower risk of hospitalisation for heart failure than those on sitagliptin [link here].

• Treatment-resistant hypertension: a phase 3 trial of the novel aldosterone synthase inhibitor lorundrostat showed the drug had potential for patients with uncontrolled and treatment-resistant hypertension [link here].

• Low-risk breast cancer management: the COMET trial was recognised for its analysis of active monitoring for patients with newly diagnosed HR–positive, ERBB2-receptor negative, low-risk ductal carcinoma in-situ. The results suggested women who received active monitoring did not have higher rates of invasive cancer at 2 years compared with those treated according to guidelines [link here].

• Liberal blood transfusion benefits for brain bleeds: the TRAIN trial, which the limbic covered last July, also made the list for what JAMA editors suggested were practice-changing findings about transfusion strategies for patients with acute brain injury. The study found patients with spontaneous intracerebral haemorrhage who received a liberal transfusion approach appeared to have better outcomes, including lower risk of death and organ failure [link here].

The full list can be read over at JAMA [link here].