The HSE has been urged to urgently buy a lifesaving RSV treatment before next winter.

RSV is a respiratory illness that is common among children under the age of two. 

According to the HSE, most cases are mild and symptoms can include a simple cough or a runny nose; however, for some children it can be fatal. 

The European Medicines Agency has approved the use of a new RSV antibody treatment for the disease and HIQA (The Health Information Quality Agency) is currently carrying out a rapid Health Technology Assessment to see if it represents value for money.

That assessment is not expected to be complete until August and pharmacist Sheena Mitchell is urging the HSE to order the treatment in the meantime to ensure it arrives in time for next winter.

She said the treatment will “inevitably get the green light” adding that it is essential the HSE begins administering it by September.

“There is a vaccine - in the traditional sense - which is coming down the road,” she told The Pat Kenny Show.  

“Actually, what we’re looking at the moment is a monoclonal antibody treatment. 

“In effect, it isn’t a vaccine but we would administer it like a vaccine but it actually just provides antibodies to the child. 

“A vaccine will normally stimulate a response, whereas this will directly give them protection from the disease.” 

'We need to order it now'

Most children catch RSV in the winter or early spring and Ms Mitchell believes the health service need to start preparing now for later this year when case numbers begin to rise again. 

“If we want to stock for September, we need to order it now,” she said. 

“In America, last year, the CDC recommended this vaccine and did roll it out. 

“They said it was a huge success, the uptake was amazing - but they ran out. 

“They didn’t have enough.” 

Ms Mitchell said it is “quite rare” for a child to die from RSV but noted the disease has still “wreaked havoc” on the health service in recent years. 

“It’s more about the burden that it has and how frequently it requires hospitalisation,” she said. 

“The interesting thing about RSV is that 70% of the children… requiring hospitalisation or ICU, they are not in the at risk groups. 

“So, this is not just a problem in, say, premature babies or people with respiratory conditions that you would assume are more at risk. 

“It’s causing havoc amongst all babies.” 

Cost effective

Earlier this month, the Government of Queensland said it would spend A$31.06 million (€18.7 million) rolling out a free RSV immunisation programme. 

Officials estimated the cost of RSV to their health service was A$40 million (€24 million) and Ms Mitchell said the health service in Ireland would likely save a similar sum. 

“There is no one actually looking over them all and making them join the dots and going, ‘Can we have a bit of common sense?’ 

“We have something here that is going to save our State around 22 million based on the Queensland figures and make sure that babies our healthy and then also open up capacity within our hospitals for those poor children who are requiring surgery for other reasons. 

“I really feel like this is a scandal.” 

The HSE advises parents to take a child with RSV to an emergency department if they are having problems breathing, have gone blue on their lips or tongue, have trouble sleeping or staying awake, have gone pale or sweaty or if their nappy has been dry for 12 or more hours.

Main image: A girl with a runny nose. Image: Martina Prosyanyk / Alamy