The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved Pfizer’s vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus for people aged 60 and older, making it the second RSV shot authorized for use in the U.S.
Why it matters: With the earlier approval of GlaxoSmithKline’s RSV vaccine, older adults could soon have a choice of shots against the virus.
- RSV causes up to 10,000 deaths and as many as 160,000 hospitalizations a year for adults 65 and up, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What we’re watching: The CDC needs to first recommend both the Pfizer and GSK vaccines before they’re made available to the public.
- An advisory committee for the agency will discuss both vaccines at a meeting in late June.