‘Good progress’: RSV vaccine made free for older Australians

The RACGP has welcomed news that some of the country’s most at-risk groups will be protected from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), with a Federal Government announcement of a five-year, $445 million vaccine-funding pledge.
 
From 15 May, the Arexvy RSV vaccine will be listed on the National Immunisation Program (NIP) and available to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 60 and over, and all other Australians aged 75 and over from GPs, immunisation clinics, community and Aboriginal health services and participating pharmacies. 
 
Arexvy is the first RSV vaccine for older adults to be funded under the NIP. The Abrysvo vaccine was added to the NIP in 2024 for pregnant or breastfeeding women.
 
Making the announcement on Sunday, Federal Health and Ageing Minister Mark Butler described the RSV vaccine as ‘another piece in the jigsaw puzzle about keeping older Australians safe’ in the lead-up to winter.
 
RACGP President Dr Michael Wright told newsGP the announcement is ‘good progress’.
 
‘It’s really positive to see the bulk of Australians who’ve been recommended to get this vaccine for free will now be able to do it,’ he said.
 
‘We know that older Australians and newborn infants are those at most risk of serious infection.’
 
However, he said people over 60 with chronic health conditions are ‘an extra group who we need to further cover, who are currently not eligible for the free vaccine’.
 
‘Since at least 2024, we’ve really been seeking to align with the recommendations of ATAGI that these vaccines should be funded and available for the people at highest risk,’ he said.
 
‘The RACGP has consistently advocated for broader NIP access for at-risk older Australians; the $300 out-of-pocket cost was a significant equity barrier.
 
‘There’s still more to do, but good to see the government prioritising prevention, and it’s something we should applaud and seek more of.’
 
The Immunisation Handbook recommends a single dose of RSV vaccine to protect people aged over 75, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 60 and over and people aged 60-plus with medical conditions that increase their risk of severe RSV disease.
 
However, the latter cohort can only access vaccination privately at a cost of around $300.
 
Dr Anthony Marinucci, Chair of RACGP Specific Interests Aged Care, told newsGP that extending the NIP eligibility to people aged 60 and older who are living with high-risk conditions would be ‘a logical and clinically justified next step’.
 
‘Without NIP funding the $300 cost puts it out of reach for many of the exact patients who need it,’ he said.
 
‘This creates a gap between clinical recommendation and funded access, inconsistent with the equity principles underpinning the NIP.
 
‘The inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians from age 60 is welcome and appropriate; the same equity logic applies to non-Indigenous Australians 60+ with high-risk conditions.’
 
In 2024, 16,734 people aged 75 or over were diagnosed with RSV. 
 
Fatalities from RSV are nearly four times higher in older adults compared with young children under five.
 
Dr Marinucci described the free RSV vaccine as ‘arguably one of the most important additions to the aged care immunisation toolkit in recent years’, with aged care residents particularly vulnerable due to shared living arrangements and frequent contact with staff and visitors.
 
‘In frail older people, RSV can be the tipping point into functional decline, delirium, and end-of-life deterioration,’ he said.
 
‘RSV outbreaks in residential aged care homes drive hospital transfers, deaths, and facility-wide disruption in the same way flu and COVID outbreaks do.’
 
Dr Wright said general practice will play a central role in delivering the vaccine.
 
‘GPs are trusted by patients to provide tailored advice about vaccination and timing, particularly for older people with complex medical needs,’ he said.
 
‘Including the RSV vaccine on the NIP supports continuity of care and ensures vaccination is delivered safely and effectively.
 
‘We know our patients’ comorbidities and can sequence RSV alongside flu, COVID, pneumococcal and shingles vaccines safely.’
 
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Arexvy National Immunisation Program older adults respiratory syncytial virus RSV