Swissmedic autorise le vaccin Beyfortus contre la bronchiolite

Good news for parents with young children. Swissmedic has just authorized the Beyfortus vaccine, announced Thursday. This product is used to prevent lower respiratory tract diseases caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

A virus that causes symptoms resembling a cold. But it can cause diseases that can lead to pneumonia or bronchiolitis in newborns, infants, and young children, as reminded by the authority for the authorization and surveillance of therapeutic products in a statement.

As a reminder, an epidemic of bronchiolitis had started in the fall of 2022 in the canton of Vaud in particular. Many children under two years old had been affected. By the end of October 2002, the canton’s hospitals had almost no more beds available to care for the children who needed respiratory assistance.

So, Beyfortus, which will be sold by Sanofi-Aventis (Suisse) SA, represents great hope for families and pediatricians in Switzerland. In France, it has been available since mid-September. But highly favored by young parents, it quickly became a victim of its success and it is impossible to find it in pharmacies. And deliveries are made in dribs and drabs in maternity wards to honor orders placed in September.

It should be noted that Beyfortus, which contains the monoclonal antibody nirsevimab, is administered by intramuscular injection in a single dose. One injection is sufficient to protect children from RSV for about five months.

But the Federal Office of Public Health still needs to issue a recommendation (or not) in collaboration with the Federal Commission for Vaccinations. And this can take a long time. Asked by 24 Heures, the FOPH had indicated at the end of September that a recommendation for the 2023/2024 winter seemed unrealistic due to the time required for the various stages of authorization.