CDC Vaccine Panel Stalls hepatitis B Suggestion Amidst Controversy
WASHINGTON D.C. - A key advisory panel to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) abruptly postponed a vote on the timing of the hepatitis B vaccine for newborns this week, revealing deep divisions and raising concerns about the panelS direction under its current leadership. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) tabled the recommendation after members questioned the basis for a proposed delay, highlighting a lack of supporting data.
The initial proposal, spearheaded by ACIP member robert Kennedy Jr., aimed to push back the first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine by one month, advocating for “individual based decision-making” rather than worldwide immediate vaccination. However, the plan faltered during discussion when member Joseph Hibbeln, a psychiatrist, pointed out the absence of safety data comparing vaccination before and after one month of age. “I’m unclear if we’ve been presented with any safety or data comparing before one month to after one month,” Hibbeln stated. He further questioned the rationale for selecting one month as a specific timeframe, noting a lack of data on potential adverse effects.
Following the questioning, the panel voted 11-1 to postpone a decision, with ACIP planning to revisit the issue at a future meeting.The committee could potentially revive the vote or address other aspects of the vaccine schedule.
The controversy surrounding the hepatitis B vaccine recommendation is part of a larger backlash against the ACIP’s recent actions. Health experts have strongly criticized Kennedy’s appointees and their challenges to established childhood vaccination schedules, including the current hepatitis B protocol, which the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) maintains “remains the best protection against serious health problems like liver disease and cancer.”
In response to the perceived erosion of scientific integrity within the ACIP,the AAP has released its own evidence-based vaccine schedule for pediatricians and is actively opposing Kennedy’s influence. The organization, along with other medical groups, has filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn all decisions made by the current ACIP and replace the panel with qualified experts, arguing that Kennedy’s appointees “lack the credentials and experience required of their role” and that their votes should be considered “null and void.”
“Pediatricians are already seeing the effects of having an anti-vaccine activist as the US health secretary, namely fear, decreased vaccine confidence, and barriers for families to access vaccines,” said AAP President Susan Kressly. “The nation’s children are already paying the price in avoidable illnesses and hospitalizations,” she added, urging federal leaders to “restore the science-based deliberative process that has made the United States a global leader in public health.Urgent action is needed.”
