RX Review: RSV Prevention Strategies and the Changing Epidemiologic Landscape

In this special report from HCP Live and Contemporary Pediatrics RX Review, Albert Rizzo, MD, moderates a discussion with Tina Tan, MD, and Joanne Nazif, MD, for an expert discussion on recent developments and persistent gaps in managing respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

In this clip, Tan emphasizes the major impact of RSV prevention tools in the last couple of years, including maternal immunization and monoclonal antibodies like nirsevimab, on reducing disease severity and hospitalizations, particularly in infants. Nirsevimab, sponsored by Sanofi and AstraZeneca, was FDA-approved under the name Beyfortus in July 2023.1 Tan also notes that underutilization of RSV vaccines among older adults continues to contribute to severe illness and admissions in that population.

Nazif adds that treatment for hospitalized pediatric RSV cases remains largely supportive, given the limited efficacy of pharmacologic interventions, and so prevention has become the most effective strategy. She highlights the high disease burden, citing up to 80,000 infant hospitalizations annually due to RSV-induced bronchiolitis.

The panel also addresses epidemiologic shifts post-COVID, including an initial drop in RSV hospitalizations followed by a return to baseline levels. Encouragingly, early data from the 2024–2025 season show significantly reduced hospitalization rates among infants under seven months, particularly in the youngest age group, following widespread use of maternal vaccines and nirsevimab. These trends support a promising outlook for broader prevention efforts.

Editor's note: The FDA approved Merck's clesrovimab under the name Enflonsia last month as the latest immunization strategy for infants entering their first RSV season.2

Our Panelists:

Albert Rizzo, MD, is chief medical officer of the American Lung Association. Board certified in internal medicine, pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine, Rizzo serves as the moderator for this panel discussion.

Tina Tan, MD, is a professor of pediatrics at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University and an infectious disease physician. She is also medical director of the International Patient and Destination Services Program, president of the Lurie medical dental staff at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, and president of the Infectious Disease Society of America.

Joanne Nazif, MD, is an attending physician in the division of Hospital Medicine at Children's Hospital at Montefiore. She also serves as an associate professor of pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

Rizzo, Tan, and Nazif report no relevant disclosures.

REFERENCE

1. FDA Approves New Drug to Prevent RSV in Babies and Toddlers. News release. FDA. July 17, 2023. Access July 16, 2025. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-new-drug-prevent-rsv-babies-and-toddlers

2. U.S. FDA Approves Merck’s ENFLONSIA™ (clesrovimab-cfor) for Prevention of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Lower Respiratory Tract Disease in Infants Born During or Entering Their First RSV Season. News release. Merck. June 9, 2025. https://www.merck.com/news/u-s-fda-approves-mercks-enflonsia-clesrovimab-cfor-for-prevention-of-respiratory-syncytial-virus-rsv-lower-respiratory-tract-disease-in-infants-born-during-or-entering-their-fir/