Preventing newborn RSV
A toolkit to increase global adoption of Beyfortus, the world’s first RSV immunization for babies.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a highly contagious virus that can lead to serious respiratory illnesses in infants, including bronchitis and pneumonia. One of the major causes of hospitalization for babies, RSV was responsible for 26,000 deaths globally in 2019 alone—and infection rates were set to increase exponentially. To prevent severe complications in the world’s youngest patients, leading healthcare company Sanofi was preparing to launch Beyfortus, the first-ever RSV immunization for newborns, across 20-plus global markets in 2024. However, it feared that the growing distrust of “big pharma” and anti-vaccination trends, as well as potentially overwhelming parents by adding another shot to their newborn’s immunization schedule, would prevent widespread adoption. The healthcare giant tapped IDEO to help it define and overcome rollout hurdles in key markets, as well as design a customizable global communication toolkit to support Beyfortus’ launch. Sanofi reached out to IDEO again in 2025 to help refine the toolkit in time for the second RSV season.
82%
reduction in hospitalizations for infants who received Beyfortus injections during the 2023-2024 RSV season, compared to those who did not
20+ countries
Sanofi launch teams across the globe adapted the toolkit to meet unique market needs, enabling an effective global-local communication strategy
Worldwide, childhood vaccination hesitancy among parents fluctuates between 25-45 percent, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), a trend the WHO considers one of the biggest global threats to public health.
How, where, and who administers immunizations to newborns varies widely from country to country. While consistency of key information is important, a one-size-fits-all communication strategy would not resonate across Sanofi’s 20-plus global markets.
In February 2022, trust in pharmaceutical companies was slightly below 61 percent, according to an Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report, which surveyed nine countries. Even after the life-saving rollout of Covid-19 vaccines, “big pharma” remains one of the least trusted industries in the world.
Sanofi was the first company to supply the polio vaccine worldwide. Because of the global fight against the disease, endemic wild poliovirus transmission is now limited to just two countries. However, feelings about vaccines and immunizations have radically shifted since the introduction of the polio vaccine. To ensure a smooth launch of Beyfortus in a time of increased vaccine hesitancy, Sanofi asked IDEO to conduct research across four important and very different healthcare markets: Germany, Spain, China, and the US.
IDEO worked with parents, caregivers, healthcare professionals, and healthcare administrators to understand potential barriers to adoption and the emotional needs of everyone involved in the immunization journey. Navigating cultural differences and diverse healthcare environments, the team identified a set of shared insights. For healthcare professionals, the team learned there’s no one-size-fits-all training for immunizations. It must be flexible and customizable to ensure that midwives, OB-GYNs, nurses, and doctors can confidently speak about the pros and cons of immunizations in different cultural contexts and administer the drug correctly. For new parents, learning about a new immunization immediately after giving birth is overwhelming, but simply leaving pamphlets about Beyfortus in waiting rooms doesn’t connect to their real concerns, either. Caregivers need conversations to happen earlier on in their pregnancy as well as after they leave the hospital, when they may have additional questions.
The IDEO team translated these insights into a highly accessible global communication toolkit that uses simple, straightforward language, metaphors, and illustrations to support informed conversations between healthcare providers and parents before, during, and after a child is born. IDEO then conducted a series of market-fit co-design workshops with representatives of Sanofi’s global immunization business to iterate on the print and digital tools, make them more resonant with regional customers, and ensure compliance with local regulations. IDEO handed the toolkits over for development to support the launch of Beyfortus in January 2024, just in time for RSV season.
Beyfortus saw enormous demand in its first year, demonstrating strong efficacy in real-world applications and achieving blockbuster status as a $1 billion therapy in its first year. Sanofi’s global launch team credits the patient-centric toolkit with increased requests for communication materials from its regional markets as well as from healthcare and government organizations that have typically been hard to reach, key goals of its global-local launch strategy.
Since its development, Beyfotus has received swift regulatory approval from the US, EU, China, and Japan. Patient demand caused Sanofi to triple its worldwide manufacturing capacity to meet the needs of the 2024-2025 RSV season. Ahead of the larger global distribution of Beyfortus, IDEO and Sanofi refined the toolkit, conducting a DEI review and working with doctors and nurses who participated in the initial drug launch to make the materials even more accessible, relevant, and successful for 2025 and beyond.
Sanofi was the first company to supply the polio vaccine worldwide. Because of the global fight against the disease, endemic wild poliovirus transmission is now limited to just two countries. However, feelings about vaccines and immunizations have radically shifted since the introduction of the polio vaccine. To ensure a smooth launch of Beyfortus in a time of increased vaccine hesitancy, Sanofi asked IDEO to conduct research across four important and very different healthcare markets: Germany, Spain, China, and the US.
IDEO worked with parents, caregivers, healthcare professionals, and healthcare administrators to understand potential barriers to adoption and the emotional needs of everyone involved in the immunization journey. Navigating cultural differences and diverse healthcare environments, the team identified a set of shared insights. For healthcare professionals, the team learned there’s no one-size-fits-all training for immunizations. It must be flexible and customizable to ensure that midwives, OB-GYNs, nurses, and doctors can confidently speak about the pros and cons of immunizations in different cultural contexts and administer the drug correctly. For new parents, learning about a new immunization immediately after giving birth is overwhelming, but simply leaving pamphlets about Beyfortus in waiting rooms doesn’t connect to their real concerns, either. Caregivers need conversations to happen earlier on in their pregnancy as well as after they leave the hospital, when they may have additional questions.
The IDEO team translated these insights into a highly accessible global communication toolkit that uses simple, straightforward language, metaphors, and illustrations to support informed conversations between healthcare providers and parents before, during, and after a child is born. IDEO then conducted a series of market-fit co-design workshops with representatives of Sanofi’s global immunization business to iterate on the print and digital tools, make them more resonant with regional customers, and ensure compliance with local regulations. IDEO handed the toolkits over for development to support the launch of Beyfortus in January 2024, just in time for RSV season.
Beyfortus saw enormous demand in its first year, demonstrating strong efficacy in real-world applications and achieving blockbuster status as a $1 billion therapy in its first year. Sanofi’s global launch team credits the patient-centric toolkit with increased requests for communication materials from its regional markets as well as from healthcare and government organizations that have typically been hard to reach, key goals of its global-local launch strategy.
Since its development, Beyfotus has received swift regulatory approval from the US, EU, China, and Japan. Patient demand caused Sanofi to triple its worldwide manufacturing capacity to meet the needs of the 2024-2025 RSV season. Ahead of the larger global distribution of Beyfortus, IDEO and Sanofi refined the toolkit, conducting a DEI review and working with doctors and nurses who participated in the initial drug launch to make the materials even more accessible, relevant, and successful for 2025 and beyond.
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