Beyfortus, preventive treatment for bronchiolitis, victim of its success

Just before summer, France ordered 200,000 doses of Beyfortus, for 700,000 births. The treatment prevents severe forms of bronchiolitis. Due to a very strong epidemic during winter 2022, the campaign was more successful than expected, and pharmacies are already out of stock. Due to a lack of doses, some maternity hospitals are forced to sort eligible babies.

Preventative treatment

“We prioritized toddlers, those weighing less than 2.5 kg, children who are going to return to a house where there are toddlers who are in the community, (…) and certain families who live in precarious situations important”, explains Christèle Gras-Le-Guen, pediatrician at Nantes University Hospital, responsible for supporting the deployment of Beyfortus in France. Beyfortus is not a vaccine, but a preventive treatment. It would be 85% effective on severe forms of the disease.