hepatitis B Newborn Vaccination Under Review in the U.S.
washington D.C. – December 4, 2025 – A recent reassessment of vaccination recommendations by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has placed the long-standing practise of universal hepatitis B vaccination for newborns in the United States under scrutiny. The committee, which traditionally informs American federal authorities’ vaccination policies, modified its recommendations for Covid-19 and measles in September, and is now focusing on hepatitis B.
Originally slated for Thursday, a decision regarding the hepatitis B vaccine was postponed until friday due to internal disagreements among committee members concerning the potential consequences of altering the current guidelines.The ACIP’s composition has shifted, now including individuals who have faced criticism from the scientific community for lacking relevant expertise or promoting vaccine skepticism. This has led to a broader reevaluation of the safety of several vaccines, some of which have been in use for decades.
The initiative has sparked concern within the american medical community, which fears that access to vaccines may be restricted based on ideological grounds, particularly as vaccination rates have declined since the pandemic, raising the risk of resurgence for contagious diseases like measles.
Since 1991,the U.S. has universally recommended hepatitis B vaccination for all newborns within their first hours of life. Though, the ACIP is considering a shift to recommending the vaccine only for infants born to mothers who carry the virus. For other children,the first dose of the three-dose series would be delayed until two months of age.
Proponents of the change suggest aligning U.S. policy with that of countries like France and the United Kingdom. however, American medical institutions have strongly denounced the proposal as unjustified and potentially risky. They point to deficiencies in U.S. maternal screening systems and warn that any delay in vaccination could lead to decreased coverage rates.
Dr. Flor Munoz of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases labeled any change as “irresponsible, disrespectful and very harmful,” while other experts criticized the committee’s reliance on what they described as “unscientific” information.
Hepatitis B is a viral liver infection that can be transmitted from mother to child during birth, leading to a heightened risk of cirrhosis and liver cancer. Universal newborn vaccination, endorsed by the World Health Institution, has significantly reduced hepatitis B infections among young people in the United States, according to health authorities.
The ACIP’s increased prominence coincides with a broader overhaul of U.S. vaccination policy initiated by the current administration. The health Minister, known for past anti-vaccine stances, has dismissed numerous leading experts, cut funding for vaccine development, and launched a complete review of existing recommendations.
On Friday, the committee will also examine the standard childhood vaccination schedule and the use of aluminum in vaccines, a topic frequently raised by anti-vaccine advocates. The ACIP’s recommendations influence vaccine coverage thru insurance and public programs,particularly in a country where vaccine costs can be significant.
However, the committee’s influence is waning. Several states, led by the Democratic opposition, and prominent scientific institutions have announced they will no longer defer to ACIP recommendations.
“states are forming their own advisory committees as they don’t trust anything that happens under the leadership of the current Health Minister,” explained Dr. Paul Offit, a pediatric infectious disease specialist, to AFP.
