Only a Third of Eligible Patients Received Nirsevimab in First Season  

Only one-third of eligible patients were given nirsevimab, a new antibody vaccination for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), in its first season available during 2023-2024, according to a study from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The study, “Disparities in Nirsevimab Uptake Across a Pediatric Primary Care Network,” published in the August 2025 Pediatrics (published online July 14), found that of 7,208 eligible patients, only 2,534 received nirsevimab vaccinations, or 35% of those eligible. Data tracked patients born outside of RSV season – which is typically April through September -- who had at least one primary care visit within 14 days of birth and at least one other visit after they reached eight months. Patients who received nirsevimab were typically white, non-Hispanic/Latino, and covered with private insurance. Patients with lower birthweights were also more likely to have received the vaccine. Black patients, those who were older than the average 3.5 months, those with a low Childhood Opportunity Index and those on public insurance had lower rates of nirsevimab vaccination. Though nearly 84% of patients were fully vaccinated against other childhood vaccinations by nine months old, only 38.7% of fully vaccinated patients, 21.6% of partially vaccinated patients, and 0.74% of unvaccinated patients received nirsevimab. Nirsevimab was available at approximately 93% of the patient encounters, showing that availability didn’t contribute to the disparities, data showed. Authors say that further research is needed to understand what barriers and drivers remain that are slowing the uptake of nirsevimab vaccination in certain populations.  

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.