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Vaccine product guide

AREXVY

RSV prefusion F protein, adjuvanted · RSV

Health Canada DIN 02540207. Check the product and formulation on your record before using a schedule.

Plan doses for this product →
DIN
02540207
Family
RSV
Guidance checked
2026-09-27
← All RSV products

About this vaccine

AREXVY is a vaccine that helps protect against serious lung and airway illness caused by a virus called RSV (respiratory syncytial virus).

AREXVY is listed under Health Canada DIN 02540207. The product record and monograph below describe this formulation; the dose schedule comes from the Canadian Immunization Guide.

At a glance

Brand
AREXVY
DIN
02540207
Vaccine
RSV prefusion F protein, adjuvanted
Presentation
120 mcg / 0.5 mL · powder for suspension · intramuscular · 50 years and older
Live vaccine
No

Age and suitability depend on the product, the person and the reason for vaccination. Use the planner for a starting point and confirm with a healthcare professional.

Official sources

Use the DIN to confirm this exact product in Health Canada's Drug Product Database.

Health CanadaMonograph PDF

A listed product may not be stocked or publicly funded.

Before and after your vaccination

  • Bring your immunization record if you have one, so earlier doses can be checked.
  • Tell the healthcare professional about a serious reaction to a previous vaccine or an ingredient, and mention any health conditions or medicines that could affect your vaccination.
  • After the dose, stay where you can be observed for at least 15 minutes. Tell someone right away if you feel faint or develop symptoms of an allergic reaction.
  • Keep a record of the vaccine name, date and dose you received.

These steps come from the Canadian Immunization Guide's administration practices and acute reactions guidance.

Practical guidance for AREXVY

The details below are adapted from a Pharmasist patient handout linked to the same product monograph. The current Canadian Immunization Guide determines the dose schedules shown later.

What this vaccine helps prevent

  • AREXVY is a vaccine that helps protect against serious lung and airway illness caused by a virus called RSV (respiratory syncytial virus).
  • It is given to adults 60 years of age and older, and to adults 50 to 59 years of age who have a health condition that puts them at higher risk from RSV.
  • The vaccine works by training your immune system to recognize and fight off the RSV virus before it can make you seriously ill.

What to mention before a dose

  • Tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had a severe allergic reaction to a vaccine.
  • Tell your healthcare provider if you have a bleeding disorder or take blood-thinning medication, since bleeding can happen at the injection site.
  • Tell your healthcare provider if your immune system is weakened by an illness or a medication, since the vaccine may not work as well for you.
  • Tell your healthcare provider if you have a fever or feel very unwell on the day of your appointment, since vaccination may need to be postponed until you feel better.

How it is given

  • This vaccine is given as a single injection into the muscle of your upper arm by a nurse, healthcare professional, or doctor.
  • The powder and liquid parts of the vaccine are mixed together by your healthcare provider right before your injection.
  • You do not need to do anything to prepare for the injection itself.

Important things to know

  • In rare cases, people have developed a nerve condition called Guillain-Barré syndrome in the weeks after getting this vaccine. This causes muscle weakness, tingling, or numbness that can spread through the body. It is not certain that the vaccine causes this, but you should know the signs.
  • Fainting can happen right before, during, or after any vaccination. Your healthcare provider may ask you to sit or lie down for a short time after your shot to lower the chance of injury from a fall.
  • Some people who received this vaccine in studies reported a fast or irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation around the time of vaccination. It is not clear that the vaccine caused this, but tell your healthcare provider if you notice it.
  • Serious allergic reactions are rare but can happen with any vaccine.

Effects you may notice

  • Soreness, redness, or swelling where you got the shot is common.
  • Feeling tired is common.
  • Muscle aches and joint pain are common.
  • Headache is common.
  • A mild fever or chills can happen.
  • A runny nose can happen.
  • Feeling sick to your stomach or having stomach pain can happen.
  • Itching at the injection site can happen.
  • Feeling generally unwell can happen.
  • Swollen glands can happen but are uncommon.

When to contact a healthcare professional

  • Contact your healthcare provider if you feel faint or lightheaded after your injection and it does not pass quickly.
  • Contact your healthcare provider if redness or swelling at the injection site gets worse instead of better over the following days.
  • Contact your healthcare provider if you develop a fever that does not go away or feel unusually unwell after vaccination.

When to get emergency help

  • Get emergency help for signs of a severe allergic reaction: swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat; hives; trouble breathing or swallowing; or a fast heartbeat with dizziness or fainting.
  • Get emergency help if you develop new muscle weakness, tingling, or numbness that spreads or gets worse over hours or days after vaccination.
  • Get emergency help for a fast or irregular heartbeat that does not go away, or chest pain.

Other medicines and vaccines

  • Tell your healthcare provider about all vaccines, medicines, and health conditions you have, especially if you take blood thinners or medicine that weakens your immune system.
  • This vaccine can be given on the same day as a flu shot, but it will be given as a separate injection, usually in the other arm.
  • No food or alcohol restrictions are known for this vaccine.

Key points to remember

  • Bring your vaccination record to your appointment, and ask for an updated record after your injection.
  • Plan to stay at the clinic for a short observation period after your shot, in case of a rare allergic reaction or fainting.
  • Tell your healthcare provider about any side effect that concerns you, even if it is not listed here.
  • Ask your healthcare professional or doctor if you have questions about whether this vaccine is right for you.

The practical points are adapted from the Pharmasist reference for AREXVY and its matching product monograph.

Dose schedules

These are Canadian Immunization Guide schedules associated with this DIN. The right schedule depends on age, health, prior doses and reason for vaccination. Public health recommendations may differ from a product monograph's authorized schedule.

RSV — adults 75 and older, one dose

1 dose

One dose of RSV vaccine is recommended for all adults 75 years of age and older.

NACI recommends a single dose of RSV vaccine (AREXVY, ABRYSVO or MRESVIA) for all adults 75 years of age and older. Protection lasts at least 3 years; no repeat dose is currently recommended.

RSV — adults 65 to 74 at increased risk, one dose

1 dose

One dose is recommended for adults 65 to 74 with a condition that raises the risk of severe RSV disease.

NACI recommends a single dose for adults 65 to 74 who are at increased risk: chronic heart or lung disease (including COPD, asthma, cystic fibrosis), diabetes and metabolic disease, moderate or severe immunodeficiency, chronic kidney or liver disease, neurologic or neurodevelopmental conditions, class 3 obesity, or residence in a nursing home. Other adults 65 to 74 may consider it.

RSV — adults 18 to 64 at increased risk, one dose

1 dose

One dose is recommended for the highest-risk adults 18 and older, and may be considered for other adults at increased risk.

NACI recommends a single dose for adults 18 and older who live in a nursing home, have had a lung or stem-cell transplant, are on home oxygen or receive dialysis. Other adults 18 to 64 at increased risk of severe RSV disease may consider a single dose. AREXVY is authorized from 50 years; ABRYSVO and MRESVIA from 18.

Check your dose plan →

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Family guidance on pregnancy: ABRYSVO is recommended at 28 to 36 weeks of gestation, before or during RSV season (Health Canada authorizes 32 to 36 weeks). AREXVY and MRESVIA are not used in pregnancy.

Family guidance on breastfeeding: Not recommended on the basis of breastfeeding alone; the maternal dose protects the infant when given during pregnancy.

This guidance applies to the vaccine family. Confirm this product's details in the monograph and with your clinician. Immunization in pregnancy and breastfeeding: Canadian Immunization Guide — Chapter updated August 2026.

References and product information

General information only. A suggested date is not an appointment or a prescription; a healthcare professional confirms what you need. Clinical rules reviewed on 2026-09-27.

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