After Decades of Setbacks, First-Ever RSV Vaccine Approved: A Closer Look

The FDA approved the first-ever RSV vaccine for adults aged 60 and over—almost 60 years after the first RSV vaccine trial was called off due to two deaths.

rafapress/Shutterstock

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first-ever respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine for adults aged 60 and over on Wednesday, almost 60 years after the first RSV vaccine trial was called off due to two vaccine-induced deaths. The vaccine is called Arexvy and was developed by GSK, formerly GlaxoSmithKline.

According to the FDA’s press release, vaccinated people had a significantly reduced risk of developing both RSV-associated lower respiratory tract disease and severe RSV-associated lower respiratory tract disease.

2 Fatalities Linked to the Most Famous RSV Vaccine Trial

RSV is a highly infectious seasonal respiratory virus. In the United States, up to 14,000 deaths in people over 65 years old are attributed to RSV. The RSV virus starts in the fall, peaks in winter, and ends in spring.