The Minister of Labor, Health and Solidarity announced that the bronchiolitis vaccine for the elderly will be reimbursed “in the fall”.
- Catherine Vautrin, Minister of Labor, Health and Solidarity, estimated that the vaccine intended to protect seniors against bronchiolitis will be reimbursed “from the fall”.
- However, “the therapeutic effectiveness must first be “validated by the High Authority of Health (HAS)” which will issue its opinion “this summer”.
- As a reminder, this viral infection is responsible for the deaths of 5 to 10,000 elderly people each year in France.
On Thursday February 22, Catherine Vautrin, the Minister of Labor, Health and Solidarity, discussed the future reimbursement of the vaccine against the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) responsible for bronchiolitis. This treatment called “Arexvy”, which had received marketing authorization from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in 2023, will be produced in the factory of the British laboratory, GSK, in Saint-Amand-les-Eaux. in the north.
“This new vaccine will effectively protect people aged 60 and over by fighting against respiratory diseases. What is very important is that these infections are very common in winter and what’s more, they are very contagious,” underlined Catherine Vautrin on France Blue Mayenne. As a reminder, bronchiolitis is the cause of the hospitalization of 25,000 elderly or weakened people and responsible for the death of 5 to 10,000 seniors each year in France.
Bronchiolitis: elderly people will be able to have a reimbursed vaccine in the “fall”
Although this treatment is already available and can be prescribed in France, it is not yet covered by Health Insurance. “To be reimbursed, the therapeutic effectiveness must be validated by the High Authority of Health (HAS). It is in the summer that the health authority will issue its opinion. (If it is positive), that means to say that logically from the fall, we will be able to have this medicine”explained the Minister of Labor, Health and Solidarity.
Good news, according to oncologist Jérôme Barrière. “The vaccine costs 200 euros, so it is not at all accessible to everyone. (…) Indirectly, it will be a benefit to relieve the hospital, but it is first and foremost a direct benefit for the people who will be protected”, declared the specialist to France Info.
“Vaccinated people may not need antibiotics”
During the interview given to France Blue MayenneCatherine Vautrin insisted on the importance of vaccination against bronchiolitis. “We realize that (thanks to the treatment) as many vaccinated people will perhaps not resort to antibiotics and above all we will save lives. To avoid having this condition, you must get vaccinated!”