A miracle cure? A new preventive treatment for bronchiolitis in newborns, Beyfortus (Sanofi/AstraZeneca), will be available “from mid-September” in health establishments and, on request, in pharmacies. The announcement was made by the Ministry of Health in a DGS-Urgent sent to health professionals at the end of July.
This monoclonal antibody (nirsevimab) is one of the options against respiratory syncytial virus, the main cause of bronchiolitis in infants during their first season of exposure to RSV.
Dr. Aurel Guedj, an emergency physician at Ambroise-Paré Hospital (AP-HP), explains to BFMTV that this injection does not work like a vaccine, which in turn “causes the immune system to produce antibodies.”
“There it is not about that. We directly inject antibodies, the system is directly protected. We do not teach it to protect itself, but we give it the weapons to defend itself,” he explains.
immune supplement
The single injection, into the muscle, can be done in some cases at birth. For babies born after September 15, it is recommended “to vaccinate them before leaving the maternity ward,” the ministry told caregivers. The antibody can also be administered in the city, in general medicine, pediatrics, health centers, etc.
The idea is to inject Beyfortus “in each child’s first winter”, the period in which they are most exposed to RSV, explains Christophe Batard, a pediatrician from Vincennes, who was involved in the development of the product, to BFMTV.
“The idea is to see it as an immune supplement and overcome fragility. We hope it won’t be necessary in the second year,” adds Dr. Aurel Guedj.
As explained by the Directorate General of Health to BFMTV, a contract has been signed with the Sanofi laboratory for a first delivery of 200,000 doses for this year.
400 euros per bite?
Regarding the effectiveness of Beyfortus, opinions remain divided among health professionals. “We expect, taking into account the results of the studies carried out on Beyfortus, that there is an efficacy close to 80 to 85% in severe bronchiolitis”, says Christophe Batard.
“Nothing in medicine is 100% effective. It must be taken with caution, but it means 25% fewer hospitalizations,” says Aurel Guedj. “A child out of four less, in addition to relieving emergencies, is a less traumatic experience for parents and children,” he rejoices.
Another drawback, the price? “It can be very expensive. The price of a drug is based on the improvement of the medical service provided,” he said. However, his predecessor was around “400 euros a bite.”
Bronchiolitis increasingly present
In France, it is estimated that bronchiolitis affects almost 30% of children under two years of age each winter, that is, approximately 480,000 cases per year. And between 2 and 3% of babies under one year old are hospitalized with severe bronchiolitis.
The bronchiolitis epidemic in France last winter reached a level unprecedented for more than ten years: it required more than 26,000 hospitalizations after a visit to the emergency room by children under two years of age, according to figures from the emergency services.
Source: BFM TV
