German panel backs GSK and Pfizer RSV vaccines for the elderly

A German health panel has endorsed the use of RSV vaccines developed by GSK and Pfizer, specifically recommending them for elderly individuals. This decision aims to provide enhanced protection against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which poses significant health risks to older adults. The approval marks a key step in addressing the vulnerability of the elderly population to severe respiratory infections, with the vaccines expected to play a crucial role in reducing hospitalizations and related complications.

Boston Brand Media brings you the latest news - Germany's prominent vaccine advisory panel, STIKO, recommended on Thursday that everyone aged 75 and older in the country should receive one of the two newly available vaccines against the common respiratory infection RSV. The panel of independent experts suggested that a single dose of either Pfizer's Abrysvo or GSK's Arexvy should ideally be administered in September or October before the cold season begins.

The introduction of new pharmaceutical protection against RSV, a virus particularly risky for infants and the elderly, has boosted global sales for companies that obtained regulatory approval. In June, STIKO advised that all infants in the country should receive the jointly developed antibody therapy by AstraZeneca and Sanofi to shield them from RSV.

STIKO’s guidance is widely followed by family doctors across Germany, the largest pharmaceutical market in Europe. The panel also recommended that individuals as young as 60 with certain chronic conditions should receive an RSV vaccine. STIKO further noted that more health data is necessary to determine if future booster shots will be required after the initial vaccination.

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Sourrce: Reuters‍