CDC Panel Recommends Ending Universal Hepatitis B Vaccination at Birth
The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has voted to recommend hepatitis B vaccination at birth only for infants born to mothers who test positive for the virus, marking a significant shift from the longstanding universal vaccination policy.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has voted 8-3 to recommend administering the hepatitis B vaccine at birth solely to infants born to mothers who test positive for the virus. For mothers whose hepatitis B status is negative or unknown, the committee advises consultation with healthcare providers regarding vaccination.
This decision marks a departure from the universal birth dose policy established in 1991, which has been credited with a 99% decline in acute hepatitis B cases among children, adolescents, and young adults between 1990 and 2019.
The recommendation has elicited strong objections from medical professionals. Dr. Grant Paulsen, representing the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, questioned the rationale behind altering a policy that has been effective for decades.
In a separate vote, the committee recommended testing children's antibody levels after each hepatitis B shot to determine the necessity of additional doses, potentially reducing the standard three-shot regimen. Dr. Adam Langer, a CDC official overseeing hepatitis prevention, cautioned that existing data does not support the efficacy of fewer than three doses.
The committee's composition has changed under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., known for his critical stance on vaccines. Retsef Levi, a voting member and professor at the MIT Sloan School of Management, described the move as a fundamental change in the approach to this vaccine, suggesting it encourages parents to carefully consider the risks of vaccinating their child.
The CDC's acting director will review the committee's recommendations before making a final decision.