CDC advisory Panel Delays Vote on Newborn Hepatitis B Vaccine Amidst Policy Shifts
An advisory committee to the Centers for disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has postponed a vote on recommendations for newborn hepatitis B vaccinations following debate over the timing of the initial dose. The decision came during a second day of meetings marked by divisions regarding US immunization schedules, reflecting changes under the leadership of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The committee, the advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), had considered a proposal to alter the longstanding policy of administering the hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth. While some members initially supported a change, medical experts and patient advocates voiced concerns that delaying the vaccine could increase infant vulnerability to the disease.
During Friday’s discussion, some committee members raised new questions about the data presented by the CDC and suggested extending the recommendation to two or three months. The rationale behind the original one-month criterion was unclear during Thursday’s deliberations.
Dr. Catherine Troisi, an infectious disease epidemiologist at UTHealth Houston, highlighted the success of the current birth-dose policy, stating it drove a 97% decline in acute hepatitis B among Americans under 19.
The panel did unanimously approve global hepatitis B testing for all pregnant women. They are also scheduled to consider updates to Covid-19 vaccine guidance.
The meetings come as Kennedy, who has previously promoted claims about vaccine harms contrary to scientific evidence, has reshaped the ACIP. The committee includes several new members who have previously expressed concerns about routine vaccines.Kennedy has also initiated other policy shifts, including cutting routine Covid-19 shots for children and pregnant women and halting nearly $500m in mRNA projects. Five of the current members began their terms this week.
Dr. Cody Meissner, a pediatrician and panel member, cautioned that delaying the birth dose could “increase the risk of harm based on no evidence of benefit.” He emphasized the importance of weighing benefits against risks, stating, “For the newborn hepatitis B vaccine, there is no doubt the protective benefits far outweigh any possible risks.”
CDC experts defended the existing policy,noting that 12% to 16% of pregnant women in the US lack a recorded hepatitis B test.
On Thursday, the panel rejected the combined measles-mumps-rubella-varicella shot for children under four, opting for separate doses due to a small increase in seizure risk.
