Health Canada approves 1st RSV vaccine for older adults, drugmaker says
Global News
Health Canada has approved the RSV vaccine manufactured by GSK called Arexy for adults 60 and older, the drugmaker said on Friday.
Health Canada has approved the first vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) for adults aged 60 and over.
Manufacturer GSK says the federal agency has approved its new vaccine called Arexy.
Doctors have been calling for an RSV vaccine for seniors because although the virus is common, older people are much more likely to become severely ill and require hospitalization.
RSV season in Canada usually starts in the late fall and lasts until spring.
GSK says a randomized clinical trial showed the vaccine was 82 per cent effective at preventing lower respiratory tract disease caused by RSV compared to seniors who got a placebo.
The company says it was 94 per cent effective at preventing the illness in seniors with underlying medical conditions.