Protecting infants with the maternal vaccine for RSV

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is very common and can cause disease ranging from mild upper respiratory tract infections to bronchiolitis, pneumonia or even death. In the UK, intensive care wards in the winter are extremely busy and 20,000 to 30,000 children are hospitalised with RSV each year. This is a disease that causes a huge burden in infants both in the UK and globally.

Dr Simon Drysdale, a consultant in paediatric infectious disease, joins our hosts Dr Emma Lim and Dr Chisto Tsilifis to discuss the maternal RSV vaccine, which has been rolled out across the UK, plus advances in research and other recently licensed vaccines.

RCPCH had a significant role in ensuring the RSV immunisation programme was introduced in the UK following publication of the JCVI's recommendation to develop one. In March 2024, we published an open letter signed by over 2,000 members urging the UK Government to implement a full RSV immunisation programme for both infants and adults across the UK. Our letter generated media coverage and UK parliamentary attention with MPs and Peers supporting our calls. As a result of our campaign, we welcomed announcements from all four UK governments confirming the rollout of new RSV programmes for infant protection from August 2024 in Scotland, and September for Northern Ireland, Wales and England.

Dr Simon Drysdale is Consultant Paediatric Infectious Diseases Specialist at Oxford Children's Hospital and a Senior Lecturer in Vaccinology at the University of Oxford. 

This podcast is a collaboration between the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and Medisense.

The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast relates only to the speaker and not necessarily to their employer, organisation, RCPCH or any other group or individual.

Subscribe to The Paeds Round for more educational episodes! And, you can find more RCPCH educational resources on RCPCH Learning. 

Want to hear more from RCPCH? Search for and subscribe to RCPCH Podcasts, our main channel.