Voz media US Voz.us
Apple store Voz-media Play store Voz Media

Kennedy Jr. experts endorse new RSV treatment for infants and children

Clesrovimab was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for newborns and young infants.

RFK Jr. on the Senate floor/ Alex Wroblewski

RFK Jr. on the Senate floor/ Alex WroblewskiAFP.

Virginia Martínez
Published by
Virginia Martínez

Topics:

A medical panel appointed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. voted Thursday in favor of a new antibody treatment for RSV, a common respiratory illness that is the nation's leading cause of infant hospitalization.

It was the first vote by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) since Kennedy ousted all members of the influential group of independent experts who made such decisions.

Chesrovimab was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for newborns and young infants who suffer from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), responsible for bronchiolitis.

Enflonsia: A safe and effective drug to reduce infection

The Merck laboratory markets clesrovimab under the name Enflonsia. It was shown in clinical trials to be safe and effective in significantly reducing RSV infections and hospitalizations among infants.

The committee recommended administering this treatment to infants younger than eight months if their mother was not vaccinated during pregnancy.

Five members voted for and two against: Retsef Levi, an MIT professor who has questioned the safety of covid-19 vaccines, and Vicky Pebsworth, a nurse and member of an anti-vaccine organization.

What is bronchiolitis?

This respiratory infection inflames the smallest airways in the lungs, the bronchioles, and can lead to more serious breathing problems, especially in infants under one year of age.

Although mortality has declined significantly since the 1980s, it remains a major cause of hospitalization and death in young children and older adults.

While most cases are mild, severe cases can require hospitalization and, in some cases, can be fatal:
  • In 1997, 510 RSV-related deaths were reported in the United States, and in 1999, the number was 390.
  • In 2019, bronchiolitis virus is estimated to have killed more than 100,000 children under 5 years of age worldwide.
  • Mortality in patients admitted for severe bronchiolitis in pediatric intensive care units is 0.9%.

RECOMMENDATION

tracking