CDC Panel Recommends RSV Vaccine for Pregnant Women
In a recent development, an advisory panel from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has highly recommended that pregnant women receive a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine. The panel voted 11-1 in favor of administering Pfizer’s Abrysvo vaccine during weeks 32 to 36 of pregnancy. This move aims to offer an additional layer of protection to newborns against RSV, which is the leading cause of hospitalization among infants.
To further solidify the panel’s recommendation, CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen officially embraced the decision following the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of Abrysvo last month. This FDA approval allowed the CDC to formally approve the vaccine for expectant mothers.
In another breakthrough, the FDA and CDC also approved Sanofi and AstraZeneca’s nirsevimab, sold as Beyfortus, for infants and young children this summer. It is advised that Beyfortus be administered before or during the RSV season, which typically spans from October to March. These new approvals offer more options for parents to protect their children from RSV illness.
Highlighting the importance of consulting with healthcare professionals, the CDC urges parents to discuss the available options for safeguarding their children against RSV. By doing so, parents can make informed decisions and ensure the well-being of their little ones.
It is worth mentioning that the CDC had already approved Abrysvo, as well as GSK’s Arexvy vaccine, in June to protect adults aged 60 and above against RSV. However, Arexvy made headlines the previous month for being the first RSV vaccine to receive FDA approval.
The significance of these vaccines should not be undermined, especially considering the alarming number of hospitalizations associated with RSV. In the U.S. alone, RSV hospitalizes between 58,000 and 80,000 children under the age of 5 and between 60,000 and 160,000 people over the age of 65 annually.
As the medical community continues to make strides in combatting RSV, the availability of vaccines for various age groups is a significant step forward in protecting individuals against this potentially dangerous virus. With the CDC’s seal of approval and the FDA’s endorsement, these vaccines offer newfound hope for preventing RSV-related hospitalizations and complications.
“Prone to fits of apathy. Devoted music geek. Troublemaker. Typical analyst. Alcohol practitioner. Food junkie. Passionate tv fan. Web expert.”