US vaccine panel votes to end universal hepatitis B vaccination for newborns

A US panel of vaccine advisers has voted to end the long-standing recommendation for vaccination against hepatitis B virus immediately after birth.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (Acip) voted 8 to 3 to support “individualized decision making” on whether to vaccinate children born to mothers who test negative for liver infection.

In June, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vaccine skeptic, fired all Acip members and replaced them with others critical of vaccines.

The United States has recommended vaccination of newborns against hepatitis B since 1991 Data indicates Since then, the shots have prevented an estimated 90,000 deaths.

Hours after the decision, President Donald Trump ordered top health officials to review all vaccination recommendations for children in the United States.

In a memo to the White House, they were asked to “review best practices from developed countries for core vaccination recommendations for children.” If they find that other countries’ practices are superior, Trump directs them to change the US agenda.

He noted in the memo that some other countries recommend fewer vaccinations for children.

Trump also praised the advisory committee for its decision on Friday, calling it “very good” in a social media post.

Acip is responsible for making recommendations to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on when and who should be vaccinated. The acting director of the CDC has final sign-off on the recommendation.

The new guidance also suggests that babies who do not receive a birth dose of the vaccine should get their initial dose of the vaccine “no later than 2 months of age,” a recommendation opposed by several members of the group.

Public health experts worry that the vote could raise unfounded safety concerns about the vaccine and encourage some people to opt out, leading to more illness.

This concern was shared by some Acip committee members.

“The hepatitis B vaccine recommendation is very well established,” Dr. Cody Misner said before the no vote.

“We know it’s safe and we know it’s very effective. To make the changes proposed, we will see more children, teens and adults infected with hepatitis B.”

The committee continues to recommend that infants born to mothers who have tested positive for hepatitis C be given a birth dose of the vaccine. This step is not expected to affect insurance coverage for the shot.

Hepatitis B is an infection of the liver that spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids, and can lead to serious liver disease including cancer, liver failure, and cirrhosis.

Pregnant women with hepatitis B can also transmit the virus to newborns during birth, which can lead to chronic infections that can damage the liver.

People infected with hepatitis B virus do not always have symptoms, which means they may not even realize they carry the virus and can spread it while caring for babies and children.

Friday’s decision came after a tense two-day meeting on the issue, after Acip decided to postpone votes on hepatitis B shots twice.

On Friday, several committee members expressed objections to the new guidelines, in particular, the recommendation to take vaccines before the age of at least two months.

Dr. Joseph Hiblin said the voting choices were “incredibly problematic,” while Dr. Misner said members were acting on “unfounded suspicions.”

One of the panelists in favor of the change, Retsev Levy, said that the US hepatitis B vaccine policy is “incompatible” with other countries around the world.

The World Health Organization recommends that children be vaccinated against hepatitis B virus at the ages of 0, 1, and 6 months.

In the UK, vaccines are recommended at eight weeks, 12 weeks and 16 weeks of age, unless the mother tests positive for the virus.

During meeting hours Thursday and Friday, the committee heard from several doctors, including several who criticized the committee for considering ending mass vaccination recommendations.

Committee members who voted in favor of the new recommendations argued that the risk of contracting the virus is low and that vaccines should be tailored to individual patients.

Critics of the birth shot have argued that babies should not be vaccinated as newborns unless their mothers test positive for the virus.

But doctors say this leaves some babies at risk, because not all pregnant women have reliable access to testing, while others can get a false negative test for hepatitis B.

Kennedy and his allies questioned the safety of the hepatitis B vaccine and said it was spread primarily through sexual contact and sharing needles.

However, research has shown that it can also spread through indirect contact such as using shared toothbrushes and razors.

Since taking office, Kennedy has made a number of changes to US vaccine policy.

Acip’s decision to reconsider its vaccine recommendations angered Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, a physician who cast a deciding vote in Kennedy’s confirmation as health secretary despite concerns about his past positions on vaccines.

“As a hepatologist who has treated patients with hepatitis B for decades, this change in the vaccine schedule is a mistake,” Cassidy said in a statement.

“The hepatitis B vaccine is safe and effective. The birth dose is a recommendation, not mandatory.”

In response to the committee vote, the Maryland Department of Health issued an advisory statement on Friday, citing a recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics, urging health care providers and hospitals to continue offering hepatitis B vaccines at birth, and said it was working to secure access to the vaccine for all infants and children in the state.