In a nearly unanimous vote, advisors to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recommended a new vaccine to protect infants from respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, by vaccinating expectant mothers
The shot — named Abryvso and made by Pfizer — is given in the third trimester to protect newborns from lower respiratory tract disease caused by RSV during their first six months of life.
“Throughout my career, RSV has been a difficult disease because there have been no options [for prevention]. So today is an exciting day,” said Dr. Katherine Poehling, a voting member of the committee and a professor of pediatrics at the Wake Forest School of Medicine, “I think it will improve the well-being of many families throughout our nation.”
Dr. Mandy Cohen, the CDC director, quickly backed the panel’s recommendations – supported by an 11-1 vote. “This is another new tool we can use this fall and winter to help protect lives,” she said in a statement. “I encourage parents to talk to their doctors about how to protect their little ones against serious RSV illness.”
RSV is the leading cause of hospitalization for infants in the U.S.
Each year, the virus is associated with some 1.5 million medical visits, 60,000 to 80,000 hospitalizations, and up to 300 deaths in children under 5. The highest risk lurks for babies in their first RSV season, when their fledgling immune systems are most vulnerable.
In most of the country, the vaccine will be recommended for those whose third trimester coincides with a fall surge in RSV. In places where the RSV season differs – such as Alaska, or states and territories with tropical climates — health…
Read the full article here
