Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is highly contagious and mainly affects young children during the winter. It can also be dangerous for the elderly, the first target group to be defined.
The United States approved the first vaccine on Wednesday for the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)also known as syncytial), which causes bronchiolitis, for adults 60 and older, health authorities said.
Authorization of this Arexvy vaccine, from the British pharmaceutical giant GSK” This is an important public health achievement in the prevention of a potentially fatal disease,” said Peter Marks, head of the FDA, the US drug regulatory agency, in a statement.
RSV is a widespread and highly contagious virus, known mainly for causing bronchiolitis (infection of the small bronchi) in small children during the winter.
However, it also affects adults and can be dangerous for the elderly when it degenerates into a respiratory infection (bronchiolitis or pneumonia).
According to US health authorities, this virus causes the death of between 6,000 and 10,000 people over the age of 65 in the United States.
The FDA clearance is based on a clinical trial and approx 25,000 participants, in which half received the vaccine and the other half a placebo.
The vaccine was found to be 83% effective in preventing lower respiratory tract infections.
Last week, this same vaccine received a favorable opinion from the hand European Medicines Agency.
Pfizer and Moderna labs are also developing RSV vaccines for the elderly.
