News Briefs: CDC Makes More RSV Immunizations Available to Infants

The CDC announced on Nov. 16 that it had made available more than 77,000 additional doses of Beyfortus (nirsevimab-alip), a monoclonal antibody intended to protect infants from severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disease. Since the FDA approved Beyfortus in July, there have been supply issues and insurance coverage limitations for RSV medications. Sanofi, which manufactures Beyfortus alongside AstraZeneca, noted last month that it had seen “an unprecedented” level of demand for the medication and that it was working with the CDC to distribute more doses through the agency’s Vaccines for Children program.

CMS has delayed its plan to cover Medicare patients’ full cost of preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) using FDA-approved antiretroviral drugs to prevent HIV infection in high-risk patients, according to KFF. CMS had announced the proposal in July and expected to make it official on Oct. 10, but KFF said the delay has occurred while CMS “is still working out details on how to transition coverage for patients already taking the drugs.” The drugs can cost more than $20,000 per year in the U.S.