Recommendation Eliminated

A federal vaccine panel voted to eliminate a recommendation that all newborns receive hepatitis B shots.

Context

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended hepatitis B vaccines for newborns since 1991. Many credit the policy with reducing infections in children and teens by 99%. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices advises the CDC on vaccine policy, and its recommendations determine which vaccines insurers must cover. Health Secretary RFK Jr. fired all previous panel members in June and replaced them with people who share his skepticism about the long-term effects of some vaccinations.

New Recommendation

The panel voted 8-3 on Friday to end the recommendation that all babies receive hepatitis B shots within 24 hours of birth. Under the new guidance, parents of babies born to mothers who test negative for hepatitis B should consult with doctors about whether and when to vaccinate their children.

The panel suggested parents delay the first dose until at least two months of age. The panel still recommended that babies born to mothers who are infected or whose status is unknown should still receive the shot at birth.

Medical Groups Object

The American Medical Association called the decision "reckless" and said it "undermines decades of public confidence in a proven, lifesaving vaccine." Several panel members also objected to the change.

One member, a psychiatrist, said the committee had not reviewed science on why two months was chosen and called the decision "unconscionable." Another member, a pediatrician, warned that infections would return and said the change was rooted in "baseless skepticism."

Supporters’ Rationale

Panel members who voted for the change said the universal recommendation was too broad and undermined parental choice. One member, a professor at MIT, said the intention was to push parents to consider whether they want to give another vaccine to their child, while another said the vote gave doctors and patients freedom to make decisions together.

Other supporters said that most babies are not likely to contract the virus and that not enough is known about potential risks of the vaccine.