regional โคDivide โEmerges Over RSV Vaccination โฃfor โVulnerableโ Adults in Spain
spain is experiencing a fragmented rollout of a new vaccine against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV),โข despite โคrecommendations for itsโ inclusion in public health programs. While a panel of experts advised incorporating the vaccine โfor vulnerable adults – specifically those over 60 in residential care and transplant patients – inโ the autumn ofโ 2024, a decision at the Public Health Commissionโ delayed aโ nationwide implementation until the winter ofโ 2026-27.
This delay hasn’t prevented individual regions from moving forward. At least eight Spanish communities are initiating their own vaccinationโฃ campaigns this year, allocating approximately 24.5 million โขeuros โคfor 233,000 doses of Arexvy,the GSK vaccine priced โคat 104.90 euros per doseโ (excluding VAT). โฃThese regions are Aragรณn, โCastilla y Leรณn, Community Valenciana, Extremadura, Madrid, Murcia, La Rioja (all governed by the PP โparty), and Asturias (governed by the PSOE party). Castilla y Leรณn has โคnot yetโ released data on its spending.
Several โother regions have opted to postpone vaccination for now: Andalusia, Galicia, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands (PP-governed, with the Canaryโข islands in a coalition), Catalonia, Castilla-La Mancha, Navarra (all PSOE-governed),โ and the Basque Countryโ (PNV in coalition with the โPSE-PSOE). Cantabria (PP-governed) has not responded to inquiriesโ regarding its plans.
The procurement process has been complex. Severalโข regions – Aragรณn, โคCastilla y Leรณn, Murcia, La Rioja, and Asturias – utilized direct negotiation for purchases, citingโ clinical trial data suggesting โคthe vaccine’s protection lasts for three seasons, albeit with โฃdiminishing efficacy (82% in theโ first year).
Madrid’s public โฃtender โฃinitially favored Moderna’s vaccine atโ 66.54 euros per โdose, significantly โcheaper than GSK’s offering. However, Moderna was ultimately disqualified because its doses didn’t meet the requirement of a shelf life exceeding 12โ monthsโข from delivery. This led Modernaโ to challenge similar clauses in โฃtenders launched by the Valencianโ Community andโค Extremadura, temporarily โhalting those โprocesses.The Valencian Community has as received a ruling from the Central Administrative Court of Contractualโข Resources allowing it to proceed with its tender, while Extremadura has notโค yet provided an update.
The United States began using the RSV โvaccine two years ago,โ with โคseveral European governments following โsuit. This situation mirrors a previousโ rollout of โBeyfortus, where regional variations occurred after initial discussions.