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Dr. Christopher Rizzo, Senior U.S. Medical Director for Sanofi, is working on a passive immunization for RSV that could help protect young infants from the virus; Lana McKinney, ASTHO Senior Policy Analyst for State Health Policy, encourages ASTHO...
Dr. Christopher Rizzo, Senior U.S. Medical Director for Sanofi, is working on a passive immunization for RSV that could help protect young infants from the virus; Lana McKinney, ASTHO Senior Policy Analyst for State Health Policy, encourages ASTHO members to ask their lawmakers to support the life-saving tools of CPR techniques and AED devices; and the deadline to apply for ASTHO’s Diverse Executives Leading in Public Health program is Feb. 28th.
ASTHO Blog Article: State Policies Promote the Importance of Defibrillators and CPR
ASTHO Webpage: Diverse Executives Leading in Public Health
ROBERT JOHNSON:
This is Public Health Review Morning Edition for Tuesday, February 21, 2023. I'm Robert Johnson.
Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.
CHRISTOPHER RIZZO:
Sanofi is developing a long-acting monoclonal antibody designed to directly protect all infants from RSV lung infection in their first RSV season.
JOHNSON:
Dr. Christopher Rizzo is senior medical director at pharmaceutical company Sanofi, talking about a passive immunization for RSV that could help protect young infants from the virus.
RIZZO:
It's investigational and currently being evaluated by FDA for protection throughout the entire typical five-month RSV season with a single injection. If approved, this long-acting antibody would be administered just like a seasonal vaccine. It will be available in prefilled syringes and stored in the refrigerator.
JOHNSON:
If approved, Rizzo says the formula could become part of the regular pediatric vaccination routine.
RIZZO:
For babies born in the summer before the RSV season, it would be administered during a well-child visit near the start of the RSV season, just like influenza vaccine. And for babies born during the RSV season, it would be administered during their birth hospitalization, just like hepatitis B vaccine.
JOHNSON:
Rizzo says it is possible the immunization could be approved later this year.
RIZZO:
We've been hoping to have something for a long time, and I think we may be on the verge of that.
So, FDA approval of the long-acting RSV antibody for infants is expected this year, 2023, between June and September. The ACIP--the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices--has already been discussing this product for inclusion on the immunization schedule, and VFC--the Vaccine for Children program--a final recommendation is expected as early as June, pending FDA approval.
JOHNSON:
More states are considering the value of CPR training and AED devices. ASTHO's Lana McKinney says that's because they've been shown to help a person suffering from cardiac arrest.
LANA MCKINNEY:
You have more of a 50% survival rate if a bystander immediately initiated CPR if someone falls down. Same with the AED machine, your rates triple of survival and being able to resume normal activities.
JOHNSON:
McKinney says many jurisdictions have taken action to train more people on CPR techniques and locate AED devices in more places.
MCKINNEY:
California legislators are looking to update their CPR school-based system and first aid training, doing sort of rehearsal requirements for responses of recognizing out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. New York actually proclaimed June 1-7 as CPR/AED Awareness Week. And Virginia actually introduced legislation for funding that provides CPR instruction to high school students.
JOHNSON:
McKinney encourages ASTHO members to ask their lawmakers to support expansion of these lifesaving tools.
MCKINNEY:
That can encourage legislators to introduce additional bills on the floor to help with AED and CPR support and putting AED machines in more public places, as far as support for high school students to perform CPR or have CPR instruction and training.
Recently, there was a report released by the CDC around best practices for heart disease and stroke, talking about cardiovascular and cerebral vascular health. And so, actually reading that report will help some of our public health leaders make decisions around AED and CPR training and support.
JOHNSON:
You can read more about this work in a new ASTHO blog article, now online. There's a link in the show notes.
Also today, the deadline to apply for ASTHO's Diverse Executives Leading in Public Health program is coming up. You have until February 28 to complete the application process. The program is recruiting candidates to join its third cohort of public health professionals. Learn more about the opportunity to advance your career using the link in the show notes.
Finally this morning, get the latest public health news delivered to your email inbox every week when you sign up for ASTHO's Public Health Weekly email newsletter. There's a link to join the list in the show notes.
That'll do it for today's newscast. We're back tomorrow morning with more ASTHO news and information.
I'm Robert Johnson. You're listening to Public Health Review Morning Edition. Have a great day.
