FDA approves first RSV vaccine to protect older adults

Older Americans this fall could get an RSV vaccine for the first time, after the Food and Drug Administration approved Wednesday a new shot from drugmaker GSK to guard against a virus that leads to thousands of hospitalizations and deaths in seniors.

"Today's approval of the first RSV vaccine is an important public health achievement to prevent a disease which can be life-threatening and reflects the FDA's continued commitment to facilitating the development of safe and effective vaccines for use in the United States," Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said in a statement.

The FDA's decision follows wide majority votes in favor of the safety and efficacy of GSK's Arexvy vaccine at an advisory meeting in March.