May 31, 2024
A new Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) highlights safety findings for two respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines licensed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May 2023 for adults 60 years of age and older.
Early findings from reports made to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) and V-safe suggest that the safety of GSK and Pfizer RSV vaccines is consistent with vaccine safety data seen in clinical trials among adults 60 years and older, including the observance of a higher-than-expected number of verified cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). In February 2024, based on these early data, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and the CDC determined that the benefits of RSV vaccination, in terms of preventable hospitalizations and deaths, outweigh the potential risk for GBS, especially among older adults at increased risk of severe RSV disease.
The CDC currently recommends clinicians discuss RSV vaccination with their patients 60 years of age and older to determine whether they would benefit from it. You can learn more about it here: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).