A preventive treatment against bronchiolitis can be administered to all infants from the start of the school year.
- Bronchiolitis mainly affects infants under the age of two.
- The High Authority for Health (HAS) has authorized the reimbursement of a preventive treatment against bronchiolitis.
- Preliminary studies have shown that this treatment would prevent more than eight out of ten hospitalizations.
Nearly 73,262 visits to the emergency room for cases of bronchiolitis were recorded by Public Health France during the 2022/2023 winter season. Very contagious, this pathology mainly affects infants under the age of two.
“It’s not a vaccine, but a molecule that will block the virus”
In a statement published on August 1, the High Authority for Health (HAS) announced the reimbursement of Beyfortus, a preventive treatment against bronchiolitis intended for newborns and babies. This is an antibody given in a single dose injection into the young patient’s thigh. This single injection will be enough to prevent the risk of bronchiolitis for the winter. “It is not a vaccine but a molecule which will make it possible to block the virus (…) We will replace the immune system of the infant which is failing until the age of four to six months by using a molecule which will block the virus and prevent it from infecting”has indicated Stéphane Paul, immunologist at Saint-Étienne University Hospital, has BFM TV.
Developed by the AstraZeneca and Sanofi laboratories, this treatment can be administered to young patients from the start of the school year in September, at no cost to families or healthcare professionals. “This antibody will be available next September and could make it possible to extend the prevention of severe forms of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis, via a single injection, to all children living their first season of RSV circulation”noted the Directorate General of Health (DGS) in a document published on July 31.
Preventive treatment for bronchiolitis: eight out of ten hospitalizations avoided
For children born during the bronchiolitis epidemic season, between October and March, this treatment may be prescribed and administered before leaving the health facility. A catch-up can be done during a pediatric visit if the injection could not be performed before leaving the maternity ward. Beyfortus can also be injected into children under the age of one born before the epidemic season.
During clinical trials, the AstraZeneca and Sanofi laboratories notably observed that the Beyfortus made it possible to avoid more than eight out of ten hospitalizations. “During an epidemic, the service is full. We find ourselves at around 150% occupancy rate of intensive care beds”confided Pierre Tissières, head of the pediatric intensive care unit at CHU Bicêtre, to BFM TV. This treatment could therefore make it possible to avoid the saturation of pediatric emergencies during the epidemic season.
