Yasmina Kattou / Photo credit: Aline Morcillo / Hans Lucas / Hans Lucas via AFP
A first preventive treatment against bronchiolitis in infants has obtained the green light from the High Authority for Health. Developed by an alliance between AstraZeneca and Sanofi, this vaccine can be administered, free of charge, from September to babies under one year old.
He was expected by pediatricians and parents. A first preventive treatment against bronchiolitis in infants has been validated by the High Authority for Health. Developed by the alliance of the French group Sanofi and its British partner AstraZeneca, it takes the form of a vaccine.
But in reality, it is a monoclonal antibody treatment. This means that instead of administering an inactivated virus for the body to make antibodies, the serum directly provides the antibodies necessary for the baby to protect itself. All children under the age of one, who will experience their first winter at the end of the year, will be affected.
Hospitalization avoided in 83% of cases
It will therefore be a single dose injection which will take place in the thigh and which will offer the baby very rapid protection against bronchiolitis. For this fully reimbursed treatment, you can contact your pediatrician or the maternity ward if the baby is born in the middle of a pandemic during the winter.
According to the results of clinical trials, the drug makes it possible, in 83% of cases, to avoid hospitalization. To relieve the hospitals which, last year, had seen their pediatric services totally congested because of the numerous cases of bronchiolitis. Nearly 75,000 emergency visits had been recorded and 26,000 children under 2 had to be hospitalized.