Key Summary
- The RSV vaccine is currently offered on the NHS to some pregnant women and adults aged 75 and over
- It is now being extended to high-risk adults aged 18 and above, including those with conditions like asthma or diabetes
- UKHSA says RSV is circulating at normal levels, with the season typically running from October to December
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has broadened the licence of Pfizer’s Abrysvo vaccine, to include all adults above 18 years, who face a higher risk of severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), such as people with asthma or diabetes.
Currently, the RSV vaccine is available on the NHS for certain pregnant women and adults who are more than 75 years old.
Abrysvo has become the only licenced vaccine in the UK for patients with higher risk of lower respiratory tract disease (LRTD) caused by RSV.
The use of this vaccine in the UK would continue to follow official recommendations as part of the National Immunisation Programme.
RSV infection can cause serious illness where the lower respiratory tract (smaller airways and lungs) is affected, leading to illnesses such as pneumonia.
For individuals living with chronic medical conditions, RSV can exacerbate illnesses such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and congestive heart failure.
RSV infection may also result in hospitalisation and, in some cases, can be life-threatening.
While older adults (aged 75-79 years) are currently included in the National immunisation programme, RSV induced infections also occur in younger age groups.
In the UK, around 3.2 million RSV infections are estimated to occur each year in 18–74-year-olds.
This results in almost 460,000 GP consultations, 14,000 A&E visits and 10,000 hospitalisations, severely burdening the NHS.
In 2023, the NHS had to spend about £78.6 million for adult RSV care.
“Our RSV vaccine is already available through the national immunisation programme to help protect newborns through maternal immunisation and older adults, with growing real-world evidence demonstrating its positive impact on reducing NHS pressures,” said Hetal Naik, Primary Care Lead, Pfizer UK.
In Scotland Pfizer’s vaccine for RSV has been administered to 68 percent of eligible older adults, and early studies in March 2025 estimated that it led to 62 percent fewer hospital admissions in 75- to 79-year-olds, than would have occurred without vaccination.
