CDC warns clinicians on limited supply of RSV drug

The CDC is urging clinicians to prioritize 100 milligram doses of a new respiratory syncytial virus drug for infants at highest risk of severe disease amid limited supply. 

The agency issued a health advisory Oct. 23, recommending clinicians prioritize 100 milligram doses of nirsevimab for infants younger than 6 months and those with underlying conditions. The monoclonal antibody, which goes by the brand name Beyfortus, was approved by the FDA in July, making it the first RSV drug for children. 

Sanofi, one of the makers of the drug, previously said demand is surpassing what they had anticipated. 

In its alert to clinicians, the CDC said recommendations for using 50 milligram doses remain unchanged. To preserve supply of such doses for infants weighing less than 11 pounds, providers should avoid the use of two 50 mg doses on children weighing more than 11 pounds, the agency said. 

Pediatrician offices and hospitals have reported arthat cloudy reimbursement models are another challenge ultimately affecting access. Orders are mostly placed before knowing how much they will be reimbursed for each dose, which cost about $500. 

Experts have expressed concerns about persisting access issues as RSV activity ticks up across the nation. 

"RSV season is here," Buddy Creech, MD, a pediatric infectious disease physician at Nashville, Tenn.-based Vanderbilt University Medical Center, told NBC News. "We're seeing a substantial increase in the amount of RSV such that in many areas, it has become the most commonly identified respiratory virus causing disease in children."

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