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The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine manufactured by Moderna, Inc. received approval last week by the Food and Drug Administration to prevent lower respiratory tract disease caused by RSV in individuals 18-59 years of age who are at increased risk for disease. The vaccine was previously approved in May 2024 for adults aged 60 years and older, according to a press release, and this new approval expands the age range for use to a younger population. More than one-third of adults aged 18-59 years have at least 1 underlying condition that puts them at increased risk of severe RSV disease and hospitalization—sometimes with risk exceeding that observed in the older adult population. Comparable levels of neutralizing antibodies were observed across both the 18-49 and 50-59 age subgroups, supporting the vaccine’s consistent immunogenicity profile in this at-risk, younger adult population, according to a phase 3 study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases earlier this month.
How did it go last year? In March, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released preliminary data estimates from the 2024-2025 RSV season, which included as many as 3.6 million to 6.5 million outpatient visits, 190,000 to 350,000 hospitalizations, and 10,000 to 23,000 RSV deaths in the United States. Each week, CDC estimates a range of RSV-associated visits and hospitalizations beginning around October 1 to help public health officials understand and plan for RSV-related impact in communities.