The Food and Drug Administration is expected to decide by spring whether to approve Pfizer’s vaccine to prevent respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, in adults ages 60 and older.Pfizer, in a statement Wednesday, said the FDA has accepted its RSV vaccine candidate for review under an expedited process that reduces the approval timeline by four months. The FDA is expected to make a final decision on whether to approve the vaccine by May 2023.RSV is a common respiratory virus that causes cold-like symptoms in most people, but it can result in severe illness in infants and older adults. Between 60,000 and 120,000 older adults are hospitalized with RSV every year and 6,000 to 10,000 older adults die from the virus.There is no vaccine for RSV.Pfizer’s vaccine candidate was about 86% effective in preventing severe lower respiratory tract illness, defined as three or more symptoms. The vaccine was about 67% effective at preventing milder lower r …
