The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices' revisions prioritize vulnerable older adults and those at higher risk of severe infection.
On June 26, 2024, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) updated its recommendations that all adults aged 75 years and older, and adults aged 60 to 74 years who are at increased risk for severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disease should receive a single dose of the RSV vaccine from GSK (Arexvy), Pfizer (Abrysvo), or Moderna (mResvia).1
This is a shift from June 21, 2023, when ACIP recommended that adults aged 60 years and older may receive a single dose of the RSV vaccine.2
These updated recommendations aim to maximize RSV vaccination coverage among those most likely to benefit in which continued postlicensure monitoring will guide future recommendations.1
SV is a significant cause of respiratory illness and hospitalization in older adults in the US, particularly during the fall and winter. As of spring 2024, 20% to 25% of US adults aged 60 years and older were estimated to have received the RSV vaccine.
The updated recommendations stem from previous meetings, new data from randomized, observer-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials of mResvia, and postlicensure data on Arexvy and Abrysvo.
The ACIP Work Group for RSV prevention in adults met monthly since July 2023 to consider updated to the adult RSV vaccinations recommendations, using the Evidence to Recommendation Framework (EtR) to guide its considerations. Their conclusions were publicly presented to ACIP on June 26, 2024.
The benefits of RSV vaccination, including reduced hospitalizations, intensive care unit admissions, and deaths, generally outweigh the potential risks, although this varied by age and risk group. The updated recommendations reflect this balance, particularly for those at higher risk of severe disease.
ACIP will continue to review new data on vaccine efficacy, safety, and the duration of protection. Recommendations may be adjusted based on emerging evidence, particularly regarding revaccination and the extension of vaccine recommendations to other age groups or risk populations.