Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the most common respiratory viruses in infants and young children, infecting almost all children by two years of age. RSV is also the leading cause of infant hospitalizations in Canada, resulting in significant disease burden and impacts on the Canadian health system. Considering the substantial burden of disease on all infants, NACI has recently issued new recommendations towards a universal RSV immunization program, with the use of nirsevimab to prevent severe RSV disease. In 2023, two new products were authorized by Health Canada for use in RSV immunization programs: nirsevimab, a long-acting monoclonal antibody, and RSVpref, a maternal vaccine. The available efficacy (including duration of protection) and safety data for RSVpreF and nirsevimab underpin NACI’s preferential recommendation for nirsevimab.
This program has received an unrestricted educational grant or in-kind support from Sanofi.
