Sept. 23 (UPI) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has made a recommendation for a new Pfizer vaccine that aims to safeguard newborn babies from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
The vaccine, known as Abrysvo, is administered in a single dose to pregnant women between weeks 32 and 36 of pregnancy, as stated in a news release by the agency.
An advisory panel voted 11-1 in favor of the recommendation, although the reason for the single dissenting vote remains unknown.
Prior to approval from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the vaccine had received authorization from the Food and Drug Administration last month.
Pfizer’s new bivalent RSVpreF vaccine, Abrysvo, has been shown to reduce the risk of RSV-related hospitalization for babies by 57% in the first six months after birth.
This recommendation follows Pfizer’s tremendous financial success in 2022, in which the company generated $100 billion in revenue primarily due to its COVID-19 vaccine.
CDC Director Mandy Cohen urges parents to consult with healthcare professionals to explore options for safeguarding their children against serious RSV illness, whether through a vaccine administered during pregnancy or an RSV immunization given to newborns.
The RSVpreF vaccine is the first to be approved for pregnant women to protect newborns from RSV. It comes after the CDC recommended the administration of one dose of the nirsevimab vaccine to infants younger than 8 months who were born or will enter their first RSV season.
The nirsevimab vaccine has demonstrated an 80% reduction in the risk of RSV-related hospitalizations and healthcare visits in infants, according to the CDC. Additionally, the CDC recommends one dose of nirsevimab for infants and children between the ages of 8 and 19 months who are at higher risk for severe RSV disease and entering their second RSV season.
The CDC previously stated that palivizumab, a different monoclonal antibody, is limited to children under 24 months of age with specific conditions that increase their susceptibility to severe RSV disease. Palivizumab must be administered monthly during RSV season.
This fall and winter season marks the first time the CDC has recommended vaccines for the three primary respiratory viruses in circulation: COVID-19, RSV, and the flu.
