Usually, parents are much less “enthusiastic” about new products, underlines its president, who mentions “a good surprise”.
In town, pharmacies are unable to meet the demand from parents with a prescription for Beyfortus, which aims to immunize babies against the main virus causing bronchiolitis. THE “doses will be reserved for toddlers who will be born between the end of September and mid-January”indicated Wednesday September 27 on franceinfo Christèle Gras-Le Guen, head of the pediatric department of the Nantes University Hospital and charged by the government with supporting this campaign. “Since its implementation on September 15 in maternity wards, we have observed an acceptance by families far beyond the hopes that we had been able to express”welcomed the one who is also spokesperson for the French Pediatric Society.
>> Bronchiolitis treatment already unavailable in pharmacies, less than two weeks after its release
franceinfo: The treatment for bronchiolitis, Beyfortus, is a victim of its success, since it is difficult to access in pharmacies. How do you explain this?
Christèle Gras-Le Guen: This medicine was available to maternity hospitals from September 15 and was expected to be available in pharmacies by the end of September. Since its implementation in maternity wards, we have observed an acceptance by families far beyond the hopes that we had been able to formulate. Classically, young parents today are not always enthusiastic about the new products that are offered, such as the rotavirus vaccine or the meningitis B vaccine for which the uptake rate is barely 20-30%. The good surprise is therefore that parents have, very significantly, between 60 and 80%, accepted this new product and this immunization offered in maternity hospitals. And that is an excellent sign since it will allow us to protect all young unborn babies during the period of the epidemic and thus be protected from serious forms of the disease.
How many doses have been ordered for this winter?
The order that was made by the State, an order very early on, even before having authorization for the use of the drug by the HAS, is for 200,000 doses. These doses, which were initially planned more broadly for all infants under one year old, will be reserved for toddlers who will be born this winter, between the end of September and mid-January. All parents who see the pediatrician before leaving the maternity ward and returning home will be offered the product.
If I am the parent of a three-month-old child, for example, what happens?
For children who weigh more than five kilos, the product will be available in pharmacies and maternity wards, but in a higher dosage. This dosage was ordered for approximately 40,000 doses. For the moment, it is difficult to know if demand will be strong, but we will be able to measure it to prepare for next winter and thus anticipate orders. We still remember that this is a product that has just been released, that France is the first country to equip itself with such a bronchiolitis prevention system and that 200,000 children will be protected this winter. in France, which is a great first.
We recall that bronchiolitis was the cause of nearly 100,000 visits to the emergency room last winter. Do you expect a drop in the number of hospitalizations this winter?
We will watch. There is work being undertaken to measure the impact of these first 200,000 doses on the profile of the epidemic and on the way in which viruses will circulate.