WHO recommends maternal vaccine and antibody shot to prevent RSV in infants

A box of RSV vaccine is displayed at a pharmacy in New York. Photograph used for representational purposes only
| Photo Credit: AP

The World Health Organization on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, recommended vaccinating pregnant women and administering infants with an antibody to prevent severe respiratory synctial virus (RSV) infection in newborns.

RSV, which typically causes cold-like symptoms, is a leading cause of severe infection and death in babies and older adults. A majority of RSV-related deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, with about 101,400 annual deaths in children under the age of five, according to the WHO.

The WHO recommended a single shot for pregnant women, in the third trimester that typically starts at 28 weeks, to protect their babies.

Pfizer’s RSV shot, sold as Abrysvo, is the only available vaccine in the United States and Europe for use in pregnant women. It is also approved in a few other markets such as Japan and Canada.

For infants and toddlers, Sanofi and AstraZeneca’s antibody, Beyfortus, is again the only approved shot in the U.S., United Kingdom and some other countries – but its supply has been limited.

The manufacturers recently received approval for an additional manufacturing line for Beyfortus from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

WHO’s strategic advisory group noted the concerns around supply and the high cost of the antibody, which it said could seriously limit global access and equity for the treatment.

“We are looking forward to more products to enter the market to allow for global access and increase the equity to use these products,” said Hanna Nohynek, chair of WHO’s strategic advisory group on immunisations.

This time WHO’s advisory group focused on children, Nohynek said, adding that it had received requests from several countries about recommendations for the elderly.

WHO executive Joachim Hombach said there were challenges to implement recommendations for older adults, as many countries did not have vaccination programs in place for that age group.