Study estimates savings for the state at US$ 23.5 million in the first year of strategy against sincicial virus

The implementation of a new strategy against the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has led to substantial savings for the state, according to a study published in The Lancet Regional Health. The research estimates that the country saved approximately $23.5 million during the first year of the program. The RSV is a common respiratory virus that spreads widely during colder months, causing infections in the nose, throat, and lungs. It disproportionately affects young children, with most infected before their second birthday. Symptoms can range from mild to severe, including bronchiolitis, which can be life-threatening. Winter is particularly concerning for health authorities, medical professionals, and parents due to increased circulation of the virus, often leading to significant strain on healthcare systems. Until recently, there was no effective preventive strategy for RSV. That changed in 2024 when the Ministry of Health introduced the use of nirsevimab, a monoclonal antibody administered to infants and newborns up to six months old to provide protection. The results have been encouraging. There were no recorded deaths in 2024, none in 2025, and the trend continues into early 2026. Leonardo Basso, director of the Institute of Complex Systems Engineering (ISCI) and academic at the Department of Industrial Engineering at the University of Chile, explained that this decision brought relief. He noted that prior to the strategy, each year saw a small epidemic placing immense pressure on the healthcare system, straining resources and endangering young children. Many children were hospitalized, with pediatric ICU beds consistently reaching capacity. Working alongside other experts, Basso quantified the impact of the antibody's application within the healthcare network. His study, titled “Ex-post Counterfactual Evaluation of the Strategy,” was published in The Lancet Regional Health in July. For example, in 2024, the strategy was linked to an estimated reduction of 20,430 days of sick leave, 25,620 outpatient visits, 59,072 days in basic and intermediate units, and 25,632 days in intensive care units. These reductions translated into an estimated saving of $68.78 million compared to the program’s cost of $45.28 million, resulting in a net economic benefit of $23.5 million, with $15.5 million attributed to the public health system. Basso concluded that translating avoided hospitalizations, emergency consultations, and caregiver absences into monetary terms showed savings of $68 million. Considering the cost of implementing the strategy in its first year, he emphasized that the country achieved a net benefit of $23 million in the same year, a rare occurrence in public health policy, typically requiring years to see cumulative benefits through reduced disease incidence or fewer complications. Carolina Méndez, head of the Neonatology Service at San Juan de Dios Hospital and vice-president of the Chilean Society of Pediatrics (Sochipe), agreed that the two-year implementation has yielded very positive outcomes. She stated that the strategy resulted in zero deaths from RSV-related respiratory infections among children under one year. This outcome had not been previously observed. Méndez also highlighted that the strategy has allowed hospitals to manage winter pressures more effectively, maintaining capacity for children affected by other seasonal illnesses. According to the latest update from the Ministry of Health, the dominant virus remains active.