Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is a common virus that affects the lungs and upper airways. This virus spreads every winter, with the RSV season in Ireland generally taking place from October to March. In healthy people, RSV infection can usually be managed without needing to see a doctor. However, RSV can cause more severe infections in some people, and hospital care may be needed. People at increased risk of severe disease include infants aged less than one year, premature babies, and children aged less than two years with certain medical conditions. Older adults are also at increased risk of severe disease, particularly those with chronic heart or lung disease or who live in long-term care facilities. The Department of Health asked the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) to look at the impact of funding RSV immunisation for infants and older adults. A draft report describing the results of the assessment is being made available for public consultation prior to being finalised.
Health technology assessment of RSV immunisation: Public consultation
The aim of this consultation exercise is to gain feedback from stakeholders with a broad range of experience that could potentially be affected by a decision to fund or not to fund RSV immunisation for infants and or older adults in Ireland. Input from all sectors of society is crucial in providing comprehensive, balanced and evidence-based information to aid decision making in our national health service.
Interested parties are asked to review the draft report and provide us with any comments or additional information they feel is pertinent to the assessment and to decision-making regarding whether RSV immunisation should be funded for infants and or older adults in Ireland. The consultation period will last until 20 January 2026.
The easiest way to give your feedback is to complete the online survey here.
Alternatively, you can complete a PDF version of the consultation form available below, and e-mail the completed consultation form to consultation@hiqa.ie or you can post your completed form to: Health Information and Quality Authority, George's Court, George's Lane, Dublin 7, D07 E98Y.
After the closing date, we will assess all feedback in order to inform our final report. The final HTA report and the Statement of Outcomes (a summary of the feedback received and our responses to it) will be published on www.hiqa.ie
Following this consultation, the report will be updated, as necessary, based on the feedback received. The report will then be provided as advice to the Minister for Health and Health Service Executive (HSE) to inform a decision on whether RSV immunisation should be funded for infants and or older adults.
More details can be found in the press release from the top of the page.