UK health regulator approves Moderna’s RSV vaccine for adults aged 60 and older

(Reuters) – Britain’s health regulator said on Friday it has approved Moderna’s vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus in adults 60 years and older.

The shot, branded as mRESVIA, is for the prevention of lower respiratory tract disease in older adults, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said.

RSV is a common virus that spreads very easily and causes infections that can be mild, with cold-like symptoms, but can also cause more serious problems, such as lung infections and pneumonia.

Older adults are at risk of more serious complications that could lead to hospital admission and even death.

GSK’s vaccine Arexvy and Pfizer’s shot Abrysvo are approved for use in individuals over the age of 60 in the UK.

(Reporting by Sriparna Roy in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar and Shailesh Kuber)