Many of my patients at the geriatric clinic are very cautious when it comes to the RSV vaccine. As we tell them this is a relatively new vaccine in the geriatric population but has been  given to a much younger population as both babies and elderly population are at the highest risk. I decided to do more research on the RSV vaccine and see its efficacy in the geriatric population since it has been approved to be given.

This is an ongoing phase 3 trial, comparing adults >60 years old who received a single intramuscular injection of RSVpreF vaccine at a dose of 120 μg compared to placebo. Primary endpoints were to see vaccine efficacy against seasonal RSV-associated lower respiratory tract illness with at least two or at least three signs or symptoms and  RSV-associated acute respiratory illness. The results for  RSV-associated lower respiratory tract illness with at least two signs or symptoms occurred in 11 participants in the vaccine group (1.19 cases per 1000 person-years of observation) and 33 participants in the placebo group (3.58 cases per 1000 person-years of observation) . Similar results were seen in regards to RSV-associated acute respiratory illness, as it  occurred in 22 participants in the vaccine group (2.38 cases per 1000 person-years of observation) and 58 participants in the placebo group (6.30 cases per 1000 person-years of observation). In summary, Vaccine efficacy against lower respiratory tract illness with at least two signs or symptoms was 66.7%, and with at least three signs or symptoms was 85.7%. Vaccine efficacy against RSV-associated acute respiratory illness was 62.1%. Showing that the vaccine does indeed help against RSV infection.

In regards to adverse events, it was reported that the vaccine only had a higher incidence of local reactions compared to placebo (12% vs. 7%), but similar rates of systemic events (27% vs. 26%).Severe or life-threatening adverse events were rare and similar between vaccine and placebo groups.