U.S.Shifts Hepatitis B Vaccination Policy, Sparking Outcry from Medical community
washington D.C.- In a move sharply criticized by medical professionals and politicians, a panel of experts appointed under the leadership of Robert Kennedy Jr.’s vaccine-sceptical Minister of Health has voted to halt the universal proposal of the hepatitis B vaccine for all newborns. The decision, made Friday, reverses over 30 years of established U.S. public health policy and flies in the face of advice from numerous healthcare providers.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on immunization recommendations, voted eight to three in favor of the change. Under the new directive, a first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine – typically one of three administered – will now only be recommended for infants born to mothers diagnosed with the virus. For babies born to mothers who test negative, the committee advises parents to consult with a healthcare professional to determine “if they wish to have their child vaccinated” and when.
The decision has ignited immediate backlash. Dr. Susan Kressly, president of the Academy of Pediatrics, condemned the recommendations as ”irresponsible and deliberately misleading,” warning they “will lead to an increase in hepatitis B infections in infants and children.” She emphasized that the change is ”not motivated by any new or worrying information regarding the hepatitis B vaccine” and that the risk of contracting the disease remains unchanged.
Representative Diana DeGette, a Democrat in the House of Representatives, was equally critical, stating, “This administration’s anti-scientific policy will cost children their lives.” She labeled the ACIP vote “extremely reckless” and lacking a “scientific basis.”
Hepatitis B is a potentially fatal viral infection that attacks the liver and can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer.
The ACIP, recently reshaped with members facing scrutiny for a perceived lack of expertise and promotion of vaccine-skeptical viewpoints, has already altered vaccine recommendations for Covid-19 and measles earlier in September, also against the counsel of manny scientists. This latest decision further fuels concerns about the influence of anti-vaccine sentiment on public health policy in the United States.
