CDC Vaccine Panel Considers Changes to Hepatitis B & MMRV Recommendations
ATLANTA – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is weighing potential shifts in vaccine policy this week, with discussions focused on improving hepatitis B screening and treatment, and potentially altering recommendations for the childhood MMRV vaccine. These deliberations could significantly impact public health strategies aimed at preventing infectious diseases.
A key area of focus is addressing gaps in diagnosis and treatment for hepatitis B, particularly among older adults. Dr. Lok-Dai Wang, an expert on the virus, emphasized the feasibility of eliminating hepatitis B by 2030, stating, “This is a goal that is doable, because we have all the tools.” the committee is exploring ways to improve identification of infected individuals and ensure access to necessary care.
During a recent hearing, Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.), a former practicing hepatologist, strongly advocated for maintaining the current recommendation for infant hepatitis B vaccinations. He clarified that the recommendation “is not a mandate” but provides parents with the option to vaccinate their child with insurance coverage. “There are people who would otherwise be dead if those parents weren’t given the option to have their child vaccinated,” Cassidy stated.
Separately, the ACIP is considering a potential age limit for the combination measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (MMRV) vaccine. Committee chair Martin Kulldorff presented data suggesting the MMRV vaccine shoudl not be administered to children under 4 years old. The concern stems from a slightly elevated risk of febrile seizures – temporary seizures triggered by fever – in children under two who receive the combination vaccine compared to receiving the individual MMR and varicella vaccines.
Dr.Lakshmi Panagiotakopoulos, a pediatrician and former co-lead of ACIP’s COVID-19 vaccine workgroup, explained that these seizures, while concerning, “are not life threatening. Most don’t go on to have any other complications.” CDC data indicates no such issues have been observed in children over age 4.
Currently, the CDC recommends administering the measles and chickenpox vaccines separately to young children, although the combination vaccine remains an option for parents seeking convenience. Restricting the MMRV vaccine to children age 4 and older could limit access to a preventative measure, according to Panagiotakopoulos.
A change in ACIP recommendations could have financial implications, as insurers are no longer federally mandated to cover vaccines the committee stops recommending. Public health experts express concern that revisiting established vaccine policies without new scientific evidence could erode public trust and decrease vaccination rates.
“It’s decreasing vaccine coverage,decreasing vaccine confidence,decreasing confidence in medical professionals and in science in general,” Panagiotakopoulos warned. Dr. Yvonne Maldonado echoed this sentiment, stating that reduced vaccination rates “will not happen overnight, but it will start to erode the ability that we have to prevent completely preventable diseases in our young children…That is going to be a tragedy and will be very hard to reverse.”
