At the urging of White House officials, manufacturers have confirmed they will make an additional 230,000 doses of respiratory syncytial virus immunizations available for infants in January, alleviating a nationwide shortage.
The White House announced the timeline for the additional doses in a Dec. 14 news release. Officials had been pressing Sanofi and AstraZeneca, the makers of Beyfortus, to make more doses available after they underestimated demand for the nation's first pediatric drug for RSV.
The monoclonal antibody was approved this summer, making it the first RSV drug for infants up to 8 months who are born during or entering their first RSV season. Amid ongoing supply issues, the CDC in October urged clinicians to prioritize 100 milligram doses of the drug for infants at highest risk of severe disease.
The manufacturers previously released an additional 77,000 shots in November, which White House officials said is separate from the 250,000 doses slated to be released in January. In a statement to The Hill, Sanofi said the upcoming doses will be equitably distributed through the CDC's Vaccines for Children Program and the private market "on a limited basis."
The White House also said it is continuing to have conversations with the manufacturers around ensuring demand is met for the 2024-25 viral season.