- The CDC recently issued an emergency alert to clinicians reporting some pregnant people and young children received the wrong RSV vaccine.
- Vaccine errors are rare, and no adverse events were reported in this instance.
- Experts say confusion around the recent rollout of three different immunizations to protect against RSV may have led to the errors.
- Currently, two RSV vaccines are approved for use in older adults, with one of these also approved for use in pregnant people.
- A third monoclonal antibody treatment is recommended for use in infants up to 8 months to protect against severe illness.
Vaccine administration errors are uncommon but may occasionally occur.
When a trio of immunizations to protect high-risk groups against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) rolled out last fall, confusion surrounding the vaccines ensued among patients and even clinicians alike.
A recent emergency alert released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that RSV shots were wrongfully administered to a small number of pregnant people and young children. As of January 17, 2024, the alert states that 128 pregnant people received the wrong RSV shot, and 25 children under 2 received an RSV vaccine approved for use in adults only.
While any number of vaccine errors may seem alarming, the CDC notes the errors are “relative to an estimated 1 million infants protected from RSV either through infant receipt of nirsevimab or through vaccination of pregnant people.”
Young children, pregnant people, and older adults are considered most at risk for severe illness from RSV, a respiratory virus resembling the common cold. Most people recover from RSV in
Abrysvo (Pfizer) and Arexvy (GSK) are both approved for use in
Currently, there is no RSV vaccine available to younger children. A
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