RSV vaccination strategies for high-risk patients 2023: a collaborative position paper by leading German medical societies and organizations

Abstract

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) inflicts severe illness and courses of infections not only in neonates, infants, and young children, but also causes significant morbidity and mortality in older adults and in people with immunosuppression, hemato-oncologic disease, chronic lung disease, or cardiovascular disease. In June and August 2023, effective vaccines against RSV were approved for the first time by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the EU. The respective pivotal studies showed a very high efficacy of the vaccine in preventing severe RSV-associated respiratory infections. At this point, use of the respective vaccines is restricted to persons aged 60 years or older, according to the registration studies. We therefore recommend use of the vaccination in persons aged 60 years or older. In addition, we recommend use of the vaccination in adults of any age with severe pulmonary or cardiovascular pre-existing conditions, as well as in adults with significant immune compromise, after individual consultation with the treating physician. Cost coverage can be applied for individually with the responsible health insurance company.