We, the undersigned, call on the Federal Health Minister and State Health Ministers to make Palivizumab more accessible to families with infants who are at a high risk of severe RSV Disease.

The costs of this preventative medication over the first two years of a high at risk child’s life are approximately $16,000 for 2 six month courses of medication. These families have already suffered emotional and financial strains due to lengthy hospitalisation stays at, or soon after, birth.

The readmission of the at risk infant due to RSV presents considerable burdens, emotionally and financially, to these families; and to the public health system. These infants are at risk of Paediatric intensive care admission, long term lung damage and in rare cases death. For families in regional areas the cost of readmission is considerably higher. Making this preventative medication more accessible will in turn reduce the costs on the public health system, reduce the annual number of paediatric Intensive care cases and stresses and distress to parents of premature and seriously ill children and newborns.