R.S.V. Vaccine approved for the elderly

The News
The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved GSK's respiratory syncytial virus, or R.S.V., vaccine for adults 60 and older, the company said.
The vaccine, which will be sold as Arexvy, appears to be the first in the world approved for sale to protect the elderly against R.S.V., a respiratory disease potentially lethal.
ImageA transmission electron microscope image from R.S.V.Credit...Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Why this matters: R.S.V. can be deadly
The F.D.A. believes that R.S.V. is associated with 6,000 to 10,000 deaths each year in adults 65 years and older and at least 60,000 hospitalizations in this age group. It is one of the main killers of children in the world.
This winter, R.S.V. contributed to the “triple epidemic” also involving flu and Covid cases which overwhelmed children's hospitals and some intensive care units.
Announcing the approval, Dr Peter Marks, head of the agency's vaccines division, said: "Older people, especially those with Underlying health conditions, such as heart problems or lung disease or a weakened immune system, are at high risk for serious illness from R.S.V. The advisory committee reviewed trial data for two R....

Health May 4, 2023 0 64 Add to Reading List

The News

The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved GSK's respiratory syncytial virus, or R.S.V., vaccine for adults 60 and older, the company said.

The vaccine, which will be sold as Arexvy, appears to be the first in the world approved for sale to protect the elderly against R.S.V., a respiratory disease potentially lethal.

A transmission electron micrograph in black and white showing human respiratory syncytial virus, an amorphous, oblong drop.

Why this matters: R.S.V. can be deadly

The F.D.A. believes that R.S.V. is associated with 6,000 to 10,000 deaths each year in adults 65 years and older and at least 60,000 hospitalizations in this age group. It is one of the main killers of children in the world.

This winter, R.S.V. contributed to the “triple epidemic” also involving flu and Covid cases which overwhelmed children's hospitals and some intensive care units.

Announcing the approval, Dr Peter Marks, head of the agency's vaccines division, said: "Older people, especially those with Underlying health conditions, such as heart problems or lung disease or a weakened immune system, are at high risk for serious illness from R.S.V. The advisory committee reviewed trial data for two R....