RSV vaccines are available for vulnerable adults and the ill. They just can’t afford them.

Elderly people are being urged to get this one-off vaccine to protect against a deadly virus. But many can’t even afford it.

Vulnerable and elderly Australians are missing out on protection against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) because many can’t afford to pay $350 for a one-off vaccine.

This is despite the federal government recommending they receive it, and experts saying there’s a “strong case” to vaccinate at risk older Australians.

It is a potentially fatal virus that can lead to hospitalisations and death in infants, but also in elderly and chronically ill adults.

Two RSV vaccines were approved for use in Australia last year by the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

The Australian Government is funding Pfizer’s Abrysvo for pregnant women and, in an unusual “hybrid” arrangement, states and territories are picking up the tab for Sanofi-Aventis’ nirsevimab (sold as Beyfortus) for infants. This is widely used, and funded, in the US and Europe.

The cost of the vaccine is $300.

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) advocates for all patients to receive free access to vaccines recommended for them by the Australian Immunisation Handbook, a federal health department guide for health professionals on safe and effective vaccine use.

RACGP Vice President and GP Dr Ramya Raman said many older patients were pensioners or concession card holders who struggled to pay for the vaccine privately.

“But also in this instance (the RSV vaccine) would be beneficial for our older patients because it would enable a reduction in the RSV cases,” Dr Raman said.

“There’s a lot of expenses and the cost of living is high, as we know, so certainly there are patients of mine who have said that it wasn’t feasible for them to have the vaccine at the moment.”

She said the intent of giving the vaccine to older and vulnerable Australians was to help reduce the severity of the condition.

“That’s really important, so it would be good to have this as part of the schedule.”

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a respiratory illness that infects the lungs and bronchioles. Picture: Supplied

University of Melbourne Emeritus Professor Terry Nolan at the Doherty Institute said the ideal was for all babies to be protected either by their mother having been immunised or through receiving Beyfortus soon after delivery.

“The focus should be on the numbers of babies protected,” he said. “Should we have an RSV vaccine for older Australians? Absolutely. We have two highly effective vaccines, one made by GSK, one made by Pfizer, which are being implemented and used widely now in the US and Europe and are publicly funded in those places.”

Professor Nolan said there was a strong case for older Australians to receive an active vaccine to develop antibodies to protect against RSV disease.

“It is a highly beneficial vaccine that should be made available one way or another at a price that will meet the PBAC’s expectation, a vaccine that will be available under the National Immunisation Program (NIP).”

The RSV vaccine is available free for newborns and pregnant women, but not funded for the elderly or chronically unwell Australians. Picture: iStock

For free vaccines to be added to the NIP they must be recommended by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) but other steps can include negotiations with the relevant pharmaceutical company.

At its November meeting the PBAC conditionally recommended Abrysvo for older adults, but advised that “economic inputs should be revised” to become cost-effective before it can be accepted for NIP listing.

A spokesman for the Department of Health and Aged Care said the greatest risk for serious disease with RSV was with children under five years, but it was reviewing the PBAC outcome and actively working with the vaccine sponsor on the next steps.

Originally published as RSV vaccines are available for vulnerable adults and the ill. They just can’t afford them.