The update comes as RSV cases have started to rise in parts of the United States with the onset of cold and flu season, creating a conundrum for many pediatricians.
The drug company Sanofi said in a statement to The Washington Post that it is working closely with its manufacturing partner, AstraZeneca, to “accelerate additional supply.” The drug is available in two doses - 50 milligrams and 100 milligrams - depending on a child’s age and weight. The recommendations for the 50-milligram dose remain unchanged. But to ration the 100-milligram doses, the CDC advises suspending administration of nirsevimab to infants between 8 and 19 months unless they fall into certain categories the agency deems most vulnerable.
The shortage seems to be driven by two factors: the demand and the cost. Pharmaceutical companies attribute the shortfalls to surging need, whereas physicians say the cost of the drug is the primary factor. The private-sector cost for nirsevimab is $495 per dose, while the federally funded Vaccines for Children program pays $395 per dose, making it the most expensive shot administered to children.
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