The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) is setting up a 10-member scientific panel to assess evidence on vaccinating adults against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) as EU countries consider how to use newly authorised RSV vaccines.
Several RSV vaccines have recently been authorised in the European Union for use in adults, with indications expanding across different age and risk groups, according to new guidance from the ECDC, the health agency announced on Friday.
It said it will use an “Evidence-to-Recommendation” framework — a structured method for weighing research and other data — to assess the available evidence in a transparent way.
The Scientific Expert Panel (SEP) will advise the ECDC by reviewing and endorsing key evidence questions, assessing evidence summaries prepared by the agency and contributing to judgements on benefits and harms and how certain the evidence is.
Evidence reviewed by the panel may include surveillance analyses, systematic reviews and modelling outputs.
What the panel will cover
The panel will also provide input on draft recommendations, as well as identify research gaps and monitoring priorities, the agency said.
It will include experts across five areas: epidemiology and surveillance; clinical and public health practice; virology, immunology and vaccine science; biostatistics, modelling and health economics; and health systems, behavioural sciences and implementation.
The panel’s mandate is expected to run from May 2026 to June 2027 and include two face-to-face meetings alongside written consultations.
Applications must be submitted by 5 April 2026, with further details set out in the Terms of Reference published by the ECDC.
