NHS urged to offer free RSV vaccines to over-80s

Dr Merchant, writing in the Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice, explained that respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), can cause severe lung infections in older adults and lead to life-threatening pneumonia. RSV accounts for 175,000 GP visits by over-65s and up to 7,500 deaths in the UK every year.

Last month, NHS England invited over 1.3 million adults aged 75–80 years to take a free RSV vaccine but people over 80 years of age were not included. This has caused anxiety among the elderly population and frustration in people who felt ignored. 

The vaccine trials for RSV unfortunately under-represented individuals over 80 leading to a lack of data in this age group. For older subjects, generally, it is difficult to participate in such trials due to stringent eligibility criteria. 

However, the data does not give evidence that the vaccine is ineffective in those over 80 and the largest number of RSV-associated hospitalisations is in those 85 years old and over among elderly, the highest after children under 4, who remain most vulnerable to the virus. 

The NHS should reconsider their decision and offer RSV vaccine to those over 80s in the first phase of RSV immunisation. This can be offered on an elective basis for this cycle for all over 80s who do not wish to wait any further. Since vaccine stocks may not be fully utilised due to anticipated poor uptake from the eligible populations, it will be best to make this available to those over 80s who are keen to take the vaccine and are likely to benefit the most. 

According to UKHSA disease surveillance, a typical RSV season in the UK starts in October, peaks in December and declines by March. Dr Merchant argues that since we have already missed the boat for this season, extending the vaccine to over 80s now will also provide an opportunity to have real-world data on the impact of RSV vaccine in preventing hospitalisation and death in elderly populations of all ages during next RSV season.

• Read Dr Merchant's full article
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