FDA Approves RSV Shot Despite High Infant Risk - AI Podcast
Jul 17, 2025•9 min
Listen to this episode in Metacast mobile app
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more
Episode description
Story at-a-glance
- Merck's respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) shot clesrovimab (Enflonsia) was approved even though 11.71% of babies in the trial experienced serious adverse events, including seizures, brain injury, and death
- Infants who got clesrovimab had a 350% higher risk of upper respiratory infections — exactly the type of illness this shot claims to prevent
- The injection is given in a single, fixed dose regardless of infant weight, putting smaller, younger babies at greater risk due to disproportionately high exposure
- Babies who received the shot had a threefold increase in severe neurological reactions compared to those given a placebo
- Only about 25 babies in the U.S. succumb to RSV each year, making the known risks of clesrovimab far outweigh the threat the virus poses to most children
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android