24.07.2024 | Tracker
Respiratory Tracker: UK leading the way: HCPs celebrate RSV vaccine programme
By Doménica Carpio Between 21 June and 20 July 2024, CREATION Pinpoint® tracked the conversations of UK online healthcare professionals (eHCPs) discussing respiratory diseases on X (Twitter). We analysed 2,000 posts discussing respiratory diseases by 881 eHCPs.
On June 24th, the UK government confirmed the RSV vaccination programme, prompting celebrations from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) and recognition of the 2,000 paediatricians who had signed a petition in support. The announcement sparked enthusiasm among HCPs as they praised the programme’s positive impact on preventing acute paediatric cases of RSV. The hashtag #CampaignWin was shared 22 times by HCPs. Paediatric Emergency Medicine physician Damian Roland called the programme “a beacon of hope amongst the challenges the NHS will face this winter”.
huge news as @UKHSA & @NHSEngland announce the rollout of maternal vaccination for RSV https://t.co/u7afPpuiby.
— Thomas Christie Williams (@Williams_T_C) June 24, 2024
On July 17th, there was another spike in the RSV conversation as HCPs celebrated the UK government’s announcement that the RSV vaccine would be available starting in September. The new vaccine rollout aims to protect babies and older vulnerable adults from the dangerous respiratory virus and “ease pressure on [the] NHS by freeing up…hospital beds”. 36 HCPs shared the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) announcement, highlighting that the “UK will be the first country in the world to implement a national vaccination program against RSV”.
This is HUGE progress.
An effective vaccine against RSV is now being rolled out in the UK to high risk groups
It's a nasty virus which can cause terrible illness or death.
Get your vaccine if eligible
— Neil Stone (@DrNeilStone) July 17, 2024
Another celebration involved HCPs sharing the “exciting news” that Duxipent was approved in the EU as the first-ever targeted therapy for patients with COPD, with 10 HCPs posting this announcement.
This is exciting news: the first new drug treatment for COPD approved in Europe for more than a decade.
Type 2 high and frequent exacerbations.
👀 ⬇️
Dupixent approved in the EU as the first-ever targeted therapy for patients with COPD https://t.co/E8D1Kbsg53— John Hurst (@ProfHurst) July 4, 2024
Smoking and its risks remained an important theme in the online respiratory disease HCP conversation; 55 HCP posts referenced smoking or vaping. For instance, John Patterson, a General Practitioner based in Oldham, emphasised, “We hope to help over 1000 Oldhamers a week with a lung cancer risk check and a CT scan.. so many of my patients worry about the effect smoking has had on them over the years”. Additionally, HCPs endorsed the introduction of legislation, the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, aimed at decreasing tobacco sales to create a smoke-free generation.
Delighted to see King's speech confirm that Labour will be introducing legislation to:
– raise age of sale for tobacco products steadily, creating a smokefree generation
– stop marketing and sales of vapes to children@AshOrgUK @asthmalunguk https://t.co/kYmOb2qvX6— Dr Nick Hopkinson (@COPDdoc) July 17, 2024
Each month, we track the eHCP conversation relating to respiratory disease. You can read other editions in the Respiratory Tracker archive .
You can also keep updated with other pharmaceutical tracking updates, including how eHCPs engage with Top 50 pharma and the product approvals that are catching their attention. To receive updates straight to your inbox you can sign up for our monthly eJournal with our latest HCP insights.
If you want to dig deeper into what we have seen this month then please get in touch.
Methodology
CREATION Pinpoint® was used to analyse 2,000 mentions on X from 881 HCPs in the UK discussing respiratory disease and related terms, between 21 June 2024 and 20 July 2024.
