The RSV vaccine could cut antibiotic prescriptions

The administration of the RSV vaccine could reduce the incidence of antibiotic prescriptions, according to a new analysis conducted by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Imperial College London, and Oxford Population Health. The data reviewed by the research team indicates that approximately 2.1% of antibiotic prescriptions issued by general medical practitioners in England were attributable to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections, with the highest incidence occurring in patients aged 75 years and older. The highest rate of prescribing was observed in infants. RSV causes 640,000 antibiotic prescriptions a year, according to UKHSA. An innovative RSV vaccine programme could prove an effective method of reducing the likelihood of infection in susceptible individuals, while also contributing to a reduction in antibiotic utilisation and antibiotic resistance at the population level. The challenge of antibiotic resistance requires a dual approach. First, it is imperative to guarantee that antibiotics are employed only when medically necessary. Secondly, it is essential to reduce infections, which will in turn decrease the necessity for antibiotics, as stated by Dr Lucy Miller, co-author of the study and Modeller at UKHSA.