US approves world's first vaccine against Respiratory Syncytial Virus

The United States said Wednesday it had approved GSK's Arexy vaccine against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), which can cause severe symptoms in infants and the elderly, for people aged 60 and older.

"Today's approval of the first RSV vaccine is an important public health achievement to prevent a disease which can be life-threatening," said senior Food and Drug Administration (FDA) official Peter Marks in a statement.

Also Read | India among three countries where vaccines' importance held firm or improved after Covid: UNICEF

It marks the first such approval globally, with similar vaccines from other makers including Pfizer expected to follow soon.