RSV Vaccine Approved for Pregnant Women by US Drug Officials

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved the first RSV vaccine for pregnant women, providing protection against the respiratory syncytial virus for newborns. The vaccine, named Abrysvo, is administered to pregnant women late in pregnancy, allowing enough time for the mother to develop antibodies that pass to the fetus and provide protection at birth. RSV can be life-threatening for infants, causing breathing difficulties and pneumonia. The vaccine proved 82% effective at preventing severe RSV cases in the first three months after birth and 69% effective at six months. Pfizer predicts that widespread vaccination could prevent thousands of infant hospitalizations each year.