CDC panel recommends RSV vaccines for seniors

The vaccination advisory panel for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Wednesday voted in favor of recommending vaccines for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) to be administered to seniors.

The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted in favor of recommending RSV vaccines for adults older than 65.

The committee also voted in favor of permitting individual adults between the ages of 60 and 64 to receive an RSV vaccine with “clinical decision making,” meaning they would discuss their need for such an immunization with their health care provider.

RSV vaccines manufactured by Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) were considered Wednesday. These vaccines have already been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in older adults to prevent RSV infections.

Data presented during the meeting found the RSV vaccines provided strong protection of more than 80 percent. Both vaccines are administered in single doses, and the studies presented by the companies indicated they could be safely administered alongside common flu vaccines.

These are the first RSV vaccines to be made available. Most adults who are not immunocompromised will recover from RSV infections with rest and self care.

Representatives from GSK said its RSV vaccine would be priced between $200 and $295. Pfizer gave the CDC a price range of between $180 to $270 for its RSV vaccine, though it said this range was not guaranteed as it was in the midst of “competitive price negotiations.”

RSV is a common virus that typically causes flu-like symptoms. Young infants and older adults can develop severe cases, however. In 2022, the U.S. saw a surge in RSV cases among young infants who were not previously exposed to RSV.

Most children are normally exposed to RSV, known as a “day care disease” before the age of 2.

The influx of cases last year brought heightened attention to RSV, particularly the lack of options when it came to preventing and treating infections. Advisory panels for the FDA have recently voted in favor of recommending RSV vaccines and treatments for young infants, as well.