Palivizumab
Also called Synagis
Key points about palivizumab
- Palivizumab is used to help prevent serious illness and hospitalisation in high-risk infants, which can be caused by the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
- Palivizumab is also called Synagis.
- Find out who can have it and possible side effects.

Palivizumab is a medicine used to prevent serious lung problems and respiratory illnesses caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) for infants at high risk of infection.
RSV is a very common virus in the winter and spring months (usually between May and October) in Aotearoa New Zealand. In young infants it causes a chest infection called bronchiolitis. This is often a mild infection, but it can become serious in high risk infants under 2 years of age. Read more about RSV.
The antibodies in palivizumab help protect your baby from serious infection and hospitalisation. Palivizumab isn't used to treat RSV once someone already has the infection.
Palivizumab is not a vaccine as it doesn't stimulate your baby's body to produce its own antibodies when they come into contact with that virus in the future. Rather, the antibodies in palivizumab protects your baby from serious infection.
From January 2025 palivizumab will be funded in Aotearoa New Zealand
From January 2025, palivizumab will be funded during the RSV season (May to October) for babies 2 years of age or younger who are at high risk of severe infection, and who meet specific criteria. You may need to go to a hospital or clinic to get palivizumab, rather than your usual GP.
Palivizumab is an injection, given once a month during the RSV season. The injection is given into the muscle in your baby's thigh by a healthcare provider. The dose given will depend on your child’s weight.
For palivizumab to be effective, it’s very important that the injection is given once a month during the RSV season, usually between May and October.
- This is because the level of antibodies from each palivizumab injection gradually decreases, and each injection can only help protect your child for about 1 month before another injection is needed.
- So, to ensure the level of protection for your baby remains high, the injections need to be given once a month.
Like all medicines, palivizumab can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them.
Side effect | What should I do? |
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For more information on side effects, see the Medsafe consumer information leaflet Synagis(external link). |
Read more about medicines and side effects(external link) and reporting a reaction you think might be a side effect(external link).
Resources
5 questions to ask about your medications(external link) Health Quality and Safety Commission, NZ, 2019 English(external link), te reo Māori(external link)
Medicines and side effects [PDF, 91 KB] Healthify He Puna Waiora, NZ, 2024
References
- Synagis(external link) Medsafe NZ Consumer Medicine Information
- Palivizumab for prevention of severe illness from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)(external link) Pharmac, NZ, 2024
Brochures
Medicines and side effects
Healthify He Puna Waiora, NZ, 2024
Health Quality and Safety Commission, NZ, 2019 English, te reo Māori
Credits: Healthify He Puna Waiora Pharmacists. Healthify is brought to you by Health Navigator Charitable Trust.
Reviewed by: Maya Patel, MPharm PGDipClinPharm, Auckland
Last reviewed:
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