FDA Approves First Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Vaccine
FDA approved Arexvy, the first RSV vaccine approved for use in the U.S. Arexvy is approved for the prevention of lower respiratory tract disease caused by RSV.
www.fda.govHere’s a concise update on the latest RSV vaccination landscape.
- In the United States, RSV vaccines for adults 60 years and older have been in use since 2023, with ongoing updates to recommendations based on age, risk, and safety signals. The FDA approved the first RSV vaccine (Arexvy) for adults 60+ in 2023, followed by other vaccines like Abrysvo, and later adjustments to who should get them and when.[1][3]
- The CDC and ACIP have periodically updated guidelines, including age ranges (e.g., expanding or narrowing recommendations for older adults) and considerations about safety signals such as very rare nervous system events; these updates aim to optimize protection for those at highest risk while addressing safety concerns.[3][7]
- For infants and pregnant people, there have been separate RSV preventive strategies (monoclonal antibodies like Beyfortus for newborns and pregnant-person vaccination programs) with evolving recommendations and access through public health programs; these approaches run alongside adult vaccination efforts.[6][10]
- Public uptake in adults 60+ has varied, with ongoing efforts to raise vaccination rates given RSV seasonality and the potential to reduce hospitalizations in older populations; adoption often hinges on clinician recommendations and accessibility.[8][3]
If you’d like, I can tailor the latest guidance to your age group and location (Buffalo, NY) and summarize current CDC/ACIP recommendations for this RSV season, with references.