GSK sponsors 2025 National Senior Games as part of Sideline RSV campaign to raise awareness of RSV in older adults

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul 24, 2025--

GSK plc (LSE/NYSE: GSK) announced its sponsorship of the 2025 National Senior Games as part of its nationwide Sideline RSV campaign, a health education campaign aimed at helping educate older adults and their loved ones about the risks of respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. The National Senior Games give adults over 50 across the US the opportunity to stay engaged and active in competitive sports like basketball and swimming, providing an opportune setting to put a focus on healthy aging and prevention and to raise awareness about the risks of RSV. To extend this message beyond the Games, GSK will debut a national television special this fall called Redefining Aging with Senior Athletes, which will feature four Senior Games athletes’ RSV-related stories.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250723896661/en/

Leonard Friedland, MD, VP and Director of Scientific Affairs and Public Health at GSK, explained: “As a physician, I want all adults, athletes or not, especially those 50 and older, to understand that RSV isn’t just a childhood illness. RSV can lead to hospitalization or worse, particularly for those with certain chronic conditions. That’s why it’s so important to stay informed and have a conversation with your doctor or pharmacist. Prevention starts with awareness—and that first step is a conversation.”

During and after the Games, GSK will share educational materials, profile prevention-focused athletes, and encourage conversations around RSV risk and prevention across the country. The National Senior Games will be held July 24–August 4 in Des Moines, Iowa.

Redefining Aging with Senior Athletes will run on local TV stations nationwide from September through November and will also be streaming online at GrowingBolder.com starting in September. Each of the featured Senior Games athletes, fondly referred to as the Sideline RSV MVPs, will share their unique personal connection to RSV, whether it be battling severe RSV symptoms, learning that their asthma can increase the risk of severe infection, or taking preventative action by speaking with a doctor about vaccination. Through these stories, the special aims to raise awareness about the potential impact of RSV on older adults while celebrating the joys of staying active over age 50.

While RSV infection can affect anyone, adults ages 50-74 with certain risk factors like chronic heart and lung disease and adults 75 and older are at increased risk for severe RSV infection. 1,2 Each year, RSV leads to approximately 177,000 hospitalizations among US adults ages 65 and older and an estimated 14,000 of those cases result in death. 3

Carole, a Sideline RSV MVP competing in track and field, said: “While I’m normally an active person, when I had RSV, I couldn’t go to work or get out of bed. It was devastating, and it’s not something I saw coming. Now, I want to encourage others to talk to their physician or pharmacist about RSV so they can continue to be there for life’s big moments, be it competing at the National Senior Games or enjoying time with family. I don’t want RSV to sideline myself or others again.”

To learn more, visit www.SidelineRSV.com. If you’re 50 years of age or older, speak with your healthcare provider or pharmacist about RSV and vaccination.

About GSK
GSK is a global biopharma company with a purpose to unite science, technology, and talent to get ahead of disease together. Find out more at gsk.com.

About Sideline RSV
Sideline RSV is a health education campaign to help older adults and their loved ones know the risks of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The campaign will help bring the RSV conversation among older adults center court to educate around the risk for severe complications from RSV. This national campaign will educate older adults and their loved ones on how to help protect against RSV by helping people understand their risks for RSV and encourage them to talk with their doctor and other healthcare professionals.

About respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in adults
RSV is a common contagious virus that can affect the lungs and breathing passages. 1 Typical symptoms of RSV include fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, congestion, headache, and tiredness. 2 RSV can spread easily when someone who is infected coughs or sneezes and is likely to be transmitted by touching a contaminated surface before touching the eyes, nose, or mouth. 4 Things that can be done to help prevent the spread of RSV include hand washing and avoiding close contact with others. 5 RSV is typically contagious for 3-8 days. 5 Some people, especially those with weakened immune systems, can be contagious for as long as 4 weeks. 5 Each year, approximately 177,000 adults 65 years and older are hospitalized in the US due to RSV, and an estimated 14,000 of those cases result in death. 3 RSV can exacerbate certain conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, and congestive heart failure and can lead to severe outcomes, such as pneumonia, hospitalization, and death. 6

About the National Senior Games
The National Senior Games, the largest qualified multi-sport event in the world for adults 50 and over, brings together more than 12,000 athletes aged 50 to 100+ to compete in over 25 sports. As part of its sponsorship, Sideline RSV is spotlighting the importance of proactive health conversations—especially around RSV, a common and potentially serious respiratory virus that can impact older adults.

Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking statements
GSK cautions investors that any forward-looking statements or projections made by GSK, including those made in this announcement, are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Such factors include, but are not limited to, those described under Item 3.D “Risk factors” in GSK’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for 2024.

Registered in England & Wales:
No. 3888792

Registered Office:
79 New Oxford Street
London
WC1A 1DG

References

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). About RSV. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/about/index.html. Accessed July 2025.

2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Clinical Overview of RSV. Available at https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/hcp/clinical-overview/. Accessed July 2025.

3. Falsey AR, et al. N Engl J Med 2005; 352:1749-1759 DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa043951.

4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. How RSV Spreads. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/causes/index.html. Accessed July 2025.

5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms and Care of RSV. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/symptoms/index.html. Accessed July 2025.

6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). RSV in Adults. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/adults/index.html. Accessed July 2025.

Sideline RSV MVP Carole trains for the National Senior Games

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Naomi Osaka withdrew from the Australian Open before her scheduled third-round match against Australian qualifier Maddison Inglis on Saturday, ending a campaign noted strikingly for fashion and friction.

The two-time Australian Open champion announced it on social media without divulging her injury, posting on Instagram that she had to withdraw “to address something my body needs attention for after my last match.”

“I was so excited to keep going and this run meant the most to me, so having to stop here breaks my heart," Osaka posted, “but I can't risk doing any further damage so I can get back on the court.”

In comments later published by the tournament, Osaka said she had a left abdominal issue.

“It’s an injury I’ve had a couple of times before, and I thought I could push through it,” she said. “I played my last match with some pain, and I thought maybe if I gave myself a break before my match today, I would be able to handle it. But I warmed up, and it got a lot worse.”

The 28-year-old four-time major winner said she'd need more tests before deciding on long-term treatment.

“Obviously I think coming back from pregnancy, my body changed quite a lot,” she said. “So this is something I have to be really cautious of."

Osaka had a daughter, Shai, in July 2023 during a 15-month break from the tour. She returned to competition in 2024 and made it back to the semifinals of a major for the first time at last year's U.S. Open.

“I’m just grateful to be otherwise very healthy," she said, "and I hope that I’m able to play some good tennis for the rest of the year.”

Osaka's grand entrance to the tournament earlier this week went viral, when she walked onto the court for her first-round match wearing a wide-brim hat, a veil and holding a white parasol — a design she said her clothing sponsor, Nike, let her create.

In the second round, Osaka fended off Sorana Cirstea in a tense 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 win at Margaret Court Arena that ended acrimoniously.

The pair barely exchanged a handshake over the net, with Cirstea glancing in Osaka’s direction briefly and then turning her head away.

As they walked toward the umpire’s chair, Osaka asked, “What was that for?”

Cirstea responded directly to the four-time Grand Slam champion, upset with Osaka’s efforts to pump herself up at stages during the match.

“Apparently a lot of ‘C’mons’ that she was angry about,” Osaka said, “but whatever. I think this was her last Australian Open so, OK, sorry she was mad about it.”

Osaka won the Australian Open in 2019 and 2021. She won two other Grand Slam titles at the U.S. Open, where she beat Serena Williams in the 2018 final and won again in 2020.

She was seeded 16th for this tournament and was set to play Inglis, ranked No. 168, in a night match on Rod Laver Arena.

Inglis will next face No. 2-ranked Iga Świątek, who had a 6-1, 1-6, 6-1 win later Saturday over No. 31 Anna Kalinskaya.

In an on-court interview following the match, Swiatek was told of Osaka's withdrawal.

“Hopefully Naomi is well. She was playing great,” said Swiatek, who is in Australia bidding to complete a career Grand Slam. “It’s exciting to be in a fourth round again.”

To the crowd, she said: “Hopefully you’re not going to be so harsh for me if I’m playing an Australian!”

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Sorana Cirstea, left, of Romania and Naomi Osaka of Japan talk at the net following their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

FILE - Naomi Osaka of Japan walks onto Rod Laver Arena for her first round match against Antonia Ruzic of Croatia at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake, File)

Naomi Osaka of Japan reacts after defeating Sorana Cirstea of Romania in their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)