Key takeaways:
- The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is close to approving the first nation’s RSV vaccine for adults over the age of 60.
- The single-dose shot was shown to reduce the risk of illness from RSV by as much as 86%, according to Pfizer.
- If approved, the vaccine would be the first of its kind in the US and provide a much-needed protection against RSV for older adults.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) took a step closer to approving the first nation’s RSV vaccine on Tuesday, as its independent Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee voted 7-4, with one abstention, to recommend the vaccine for adults over the age of 60.
The vaccine, developed by Pfizer, is intended to prevent lower respiratory tract disease caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The single-dose shot was shown to reduce the risk of illness from RSV by as much as 86%, according to Pfizer.
The committee members voted in favor of the vaccine despite some safety concerns. The FDA is scheduled to decide on approval of the vaccines by May, ahead of RSV’s typical winter surge.
If approved, the vaccine would be the first of its kind in the US. It would be the first vaccine to protect adults from RSV, a virus that is the leading cause of lower respiratory tract infections in older adults. It is also the leading cause of hospitalization for children under the age of one.
The FDA’s decision is expected to take several months, but the agency usually follows the advisory committee’s recommendations. If approved, the vaccine could provide a much-needed protection against RSV for older adults.
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