A new vaccine against RSV in infants is in short supply, and U.S. health officials are telling doctors they should prioritize giving the drug to babies who are at highest risk of severe disease.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tells doctors that babies younger than 6 months old with chronic lung disease or other underlying conditions should be prioritized During Monday night’s consultation.
RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) is a common cause of cold-like symptoms and can be dangerous for young children.This is a seasonal virus widely reported In the southern United States, the spread is expected to continue over the next month or two.
The new one-time shot is a lab-made antibody that helps the immune system fight the virus. The drug is developed by AstraZeneca and Sanofi and is marketed as Beyfortus.
In July, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Approvednext month the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend it For babies born before or during RSV season and babies under 8 months before the season begins. They also recommend this dose for some babies aged 8 to 19 months who are at higher risk for serious illness.
It comes in prefilled syringes with doses of 50 mg or 100 mg. Higher doses are for larger, heavier babies.
In a recent letter to state immunization managers, the CDC said it would suspend vaccination orders through a program that pays for vaccines for poor and uninsured children. On Monday, the CDC issued a more comprehensive alert to U.S. doctors.
In a statement, sanofi says Demand – especially for larger doses – is “higher than expected”.
In fact, health officials say, the current vaccines are not enough to protect all children eligible to receive the larger doses. CDC officials said the supply of smaller doses may also be limited during the current RSV season. The CDC says doctors should not give two smaller doses of the vaccine to older babies to preserve the supply of these vaccines.
Agency officials said some children may be eligible for the older RSV drug palivizumab. This medication needs to be injected once a month.
Doctors are also urged to try to persuade pregnant women to accept a new vaccine Designed to protect newborns from RSV infection. When this happens, the baby doesn’t need antibody drugs.
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The Associated Press Health & Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science & Education Media Group. The Associated Press is solely responsible for all content.
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