Renewed Debate Over Newborn Hepatitis B Vaccine
A government advisory panel is revisiting the long-standing advice for a hepatitis B vaccine dose at birth, sparking controversy and criticism from medical professionals. The debate centers on whether the worldwide birth dose remains necessary, with some committee members questioning its continued implementation.
The discussion echoes past concerns,with Dr. jason M.Goldman, president of the American College of Physicians, labeling the proceedings as ”political theater,” suggesting the review is driven by individuals hesitant about vaccination. While some on the committee argue that previous safety studies were insufficient and larger trials could reveal potential issues with the birth dose, others, like Dr. Joseph Hibbeln and Dr.Cody Meissner, maintain thereS no documented evidence of harm and the concerns are merely “speculation.”
Hepatitis B is a potentially serious liver infection. While typically short-lived in adults, it can become chronic in infants and children, leading to severe complications like liver failure, cancer, and cirrhosis. The virus is commonly spread through sexual contact or shared needles, but can also be transmitted from mother to baby, with up to 90% of infected infants developing chronic infections.
The current recommendation, in place as 1991, has demonstrably reduced the incidence of hepatitis B in children, dropping cases from approximately 18,000 annually to around 2,200. However, members of the current committee have expressed discomfort with the practice of vaccinating all newborns.
The meeting featured presentations from individuals with ties to anti-vaccine advocacy. Cynthia Nevison, an autism and environmental researcher who has published opinion pieces with Children’s Health Defense (an organization previously led by committee chair Robert F. Kennedy jr.), presented her research. A 2021 article she co-authored in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders was later retracted due to methodological concerns and undisclosed connections to anti-vaccine groups. mark Blaxill, also a co-author of the retracted paper, also spoke on vaccine safety.
Notably absent from the agenda were presentations from scientists with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) who typically provide data on vaccine-preventable diseases and safety assessments.Instead, the meeting focused on a prolonged discussion of theories largely dismissed by the scientific community.
The committee is chaired by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.,a lawyer,and features Aaron siri,another lawyer involved in vaccine litigation,who is scheduled to present on the U.S. immunization schedule. The proceedings have drawn criticism from outside the committee, with U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, a physician, stating on social media that the ACIP is “totally discredited” and ”not protecting children.”
Currently, guidelines recommend a hepatitis B vaccine dose within 24 hours of birth for medically stable infants weighing at least 4.4 pounds, followed by additional doses at one and six months. the committee is expected to vote on a proposal that would shift the start of the vaccination series to two months of age if a family declines the birth dose.
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