The Albanese government has committed $174.5 million (US$115 million) to provide pregnant mothers and newborns across Australia with free vaccines against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) before the next winter season.
This investment will make the RSV vaccine Abrysvo, typically costing families $300, free for pregnant women under the National Immunisation Program (NIP). Additionally, young babies will receive Beyfortus, a monoclonal antibody treatment previously accessible only to high-risk infants in select states.
RSV, a common respiratory infection affecting the nose, throat, and lungs, is the leading cause of hospitalisations for infants under two-years-old.
Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said the virus results in around 12,000 infant hospitalisations each winter.
“Almost every child catches RSV by age two, and each winter we see thousands of babies admitted with severe cases of RSV,” he said.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) welcomed the announcement, with President Dr. Nicole Higgins saying immunisation was the best way to prevent RSV infection in infants.
“This is a fantastic initiative that will help keep babies safe and save expectant families money,” Higgins said.
Dr. Michel Wright, RACGP president-elect, echoed this support, emphasising that the free program will ease the burden of RSV-related costs for new families.
The RACGP noted the program’s strong efficacy and safety data and urged continued government support to ensure timely vaccine distribution across healthcare practices.
“Free immunisation against RSV removes one major worry for new parents,” Wright said, encouraging the government to maintain close coordination with general practitioners.
Catherine Hughes, director of the Immunisation Foundation of Australia, lauded the federal government’s decision, noting that states like Western Australia and Queensland had already implemented similar programs.
The foundation estimates the program will prevent 10,000 of the 12,000 annual infant hospitalisations.
Hughes noted that following the introduction of a similar program, Western Australia saw its RSV-related hospitalisation rate fall by 84 percent.
Political Pressure Spurs Action in Victoria
The program’s expansion comes after pressure on the Victorian government from state Liberal and National parties, who criticised the delay in securing adequate RSV vaccine supplies for infants.Following campaigns by the opposition, the Allan Labor government recently committed to broader RSV protection for newborns from 2025.
State Liberal representatives had questioned Victorian Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas on why the government hadn’t yet procured the recommended immunisation, calling the state’s delay a “heightened risk” for infants.
