RSV vaccines reduce elderly hospitalization and death risk by over 80%

A large-scale study published in JAMA Network Open indicates that RSV vaccines significantly reduce the risk of severe outcomes in older adults. The research, which analyzed approximately 14.8 million Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older in the United States, examined data from August 2023 to March 2024.

Findings show that vaccinated individuals had an 81.8% lower risk of RSV-related hospitalization and an 85% lower risk of RSV-related death compared to those who were unvaccinated. The study focused on the prevention of severe disease rather than the prevention of infection itself.

RSV is a significant health concern for the elderly, estimated to cause between 60,000 and 160,000 hospitalizations and 6,000 to 10,000 deaths annually in the U.S. The study population had a median age of 74, with approximately 3 million people receiving vaccinations during the observation period.