Health Care — White House urges RSV shot makers to meet demand

Presented by Novavax — Demand for RSV shots is set to increase ahead of the winter months.

View Online Health Care Health Care PRESENTED BY  The Big Story  White House urges RSV shot makers to meet demand  Senior administration officials met Monday with the manufacturers of a shot to prevent RSV in infants, urging them to meet demand ahead of the winter months. © AstraZeneca via AP The drug is currently in short supply because the manufacturers said they didn't properly anticipate the immense demand.    "Senior administration officials underscored the importance of manufacturers such as Sanofi and AstraZeneca working to meet demand with a sense of urgency as we head into the winter season," the White House said in a statement.    "Monday's meeting follows numerous in-person and virtual meetings to seek ways manufacturers can make more RSV immunizations available for infants," the White House added.    Officials and manufacturers also agreed to begin planning for next year, to avoid the same issues.    This year marked the first time that immunizations against the common respiratory virus RSV would be available for infants and seniors. There are no shortages of the shot for adults over the age of 60.   Last year saw scores of young children infected by RSV much earlier than in past years, overwhelming children's hospitals and emergency rooms across the country.      Nirsevimab, marketed as Beyfortus, is a monoclonal antibody rather than a traditional vaccine, meaning babies will be able to directly receive antibodies to prevent severe RSV, rather than prompting the immune system to develop them.     The drug is one of two available treatments in the U.S. that can protect infants from RSV, which is the leading cause of hospitalization among babies nationwide. It cuts the risk of hospitalizations in infants by about 80 percent and was hailed as a game changer.     But shortages of Beyfortus have been plaguing the country since it was approved earlier this year. Pediatricians and hospitals have been struggling to stock the immunization due to what Sanofi said was "unprecedented" demand.    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration have said they will continue to be in close contact with manufacturers to ensure the availability of additional doses through the end of this year and for early 2024 to meet the demand.   The CDC earlier this month said it expedited the release of 77,000 additional doses, but it is not expected to be nearly enough to alleviate the shortage.     RSV cases in the U.S. began a sharp upward trend in the middle of October, and there are currently at least 7,557 cases detected, according to the CDC.  Welcome to The Hill's Health Care newsletter, we're Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. 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