Beyfortus: victim of its success, the treatment is almost impossible to find in pharmacies

Available since September 15, the preventive treatment against bronchiolitis, very popular with parents, is already almost impossible to find in pharmacies.

THE ESSENTIAL

Nirsevimab (Beyfortus) is a monoclonal antibody administered as a single intramuscular injection in children under two years of age.
Adherence rates to this new preventive treatment now exceed 60% and even reach 80% in certain establishments.
Faced with high demand, it will be given priority in maternity wards.

It is the leading cause of visits to pediatric emergencies and hospitalizations each year in France. Bronchiolitis, which mainly affects children under the age of two, is an acute respiratory viral infection affecting the small bronchi. In 80% of cases, it is caused by the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). To combat the risk of infection, nirsevimab (Beyfortus), a monoclonal antibody, obtained European marketing authorization (AMM) on October 31, 2022, followed by a favorable opinion from the High Authority of Health in date of August 1, 2023 for its reimbursement.

Beyfortus is administered as a single intramuscular injection

This treatment, recommended to immunize all children born from February 6, 2023, is not a vaccine but a preventive treatment in the form of an injectable solution. He is “administered as a single injection, intramuscularly into the thigh, of 50 mg in infants weighing less than 5 kg and 100 mg in infants weighing 5 kg or more”, noted health insurance. The injection is given in the maternity ward at birth for children born from September 15 and until the end of winter or on prescription from the doctor or midwife who is caring for the child, in medical practices. general medicine, pediatrics, PMI and health centers during the epidemic period.

Bronchiolitis: preventive treatment already not found in pharmacies

In France, Beyfortus, which has been available since September 15 in health establishments, is a victim of its success. And for good reason, less than two weeks after its release, it is already almost impossible to find in pharmacies. In a statementthe Minister of Health indicated that he was meeting “a very high rate of adherence among parents of infants”exceeding “today the 60%” and reaching “even 80% in certain establishments”.

Faced with high demand, Aurélien Rousseau changed strategy to protect children most at risk of being hospitalized. He decided to reserve doses of nirsevimab 50 mg for maternity wards. “Pharmacies can continue to place their orders for nirsevimab 100 mg normally. For better dose management, he however insists to pharmacists that these orders must be made on the basis of medical prescriptions and are limited to five doses per order.”