Health officials are broadening access to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines, responding to a surge in cases across the country and evolving recommendations for preventative care. The food and Drug Administration has recently expanded the approval of Moderna’s RSV vaccine,and GSK’s vaccine is under review for similar expansion,to include younger adults with certain medical conditions [[1]], [[2]]. This move aims to protect a wider population vulnerable to severe illness from the common, yet perhaps dangerous, virus, with initial expanded vaccinations beginning this month [[3]].
Health officials are expanding recommendations for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination to include a broader range of individuals, offering protection against a virus that can cause serious illness, particularly in vulnerable populations. A single dose of the RSV vaccine is available year-round to those who meet the criteria and haven’t previously received a dose.
Immunization for Patients at Very High Risk
The expanded guidance includes individuals aged 18 and older with certain high-risk medical conditions. These conditions include those with active hematologic cancer or who have received treatment within the last six months, individuals with primary immunodeficiencies, and people with advanced HIV infection (with CD4 counts less than 200/μl). The vaccine is also recommended for those who have undergone hematopoietic stem cell transplantation or CAR-T cell therapy within the past two years, and for patients receiving immunosuppressive treatment or experiencing graft-versus-host disease.
Immunization is also advised for patients undergoing dialysis, those who have received a solid organ transplant (especially lung transplants), individuals on the transplant waiting list, and patients with non-hematologic cancer undergoing active chemotherapy or immunosuppressive treatment within the last six months. These expanded recommendations aim to provide critical protection to those whose immune systems are compromised, making them more susceptible to severe RSV illness.
Arexvy Availability and Potential Age Expansion
Currently, the RSV vaccine available in the region is Arexvy, which is authorized for use in individuals aged 50 and older. However, the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use recently recommended expanding the vaccine’s indication to include individuals as young as 18. This recommendation is expected to be incorporated into the vaccine’s labeling in February 2026.
Vaccination for those with high-risk conditions will begin in early weeks of the new year for individuals aged 50 and older. Health officials will provide further information regarding the availability of Arexvy for those aged 18 and older once the vaccine is officially authorized for that age group. Initial distribution of Arexvy doses to primary care centers and health clinics through Sermas is scheduled to begin in the last week of December 2025.
