A federal panel of vaccine advisers met Friday, September 19, 2025, to discuss changes to COVID-19 vaccine access, in a session marked by technical glitches, procedural confusion, and heated debates among experts.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) ultimately withdrew its most controversial proposal, which would have required a prescription for the vaccine. While this avoids the strictest restriction, it could still make COVID-19 vaccines less accessible than in previous years. Keep reading for detailed updates and what this could mean for you.

CDC Updates COVID-19 Vaccine Guidance: What You Need to Know

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) vaccine advisers have voted to move away from a broad recommendation for COVID-19 vaccines. Under the new guidance, individuals are encouraged to make vaccination decisions through “shared clinical decision-making” with a healthcare provider.

ALSO READ: American Heart Association Updates Hypertension Guidelines: Here’s What To Know

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) was divided on whether a prescription should be required for the vaccine, with a 6-6 tie broken by committee chair Dr. Martin Kulldorff, who voted against the requirement.

According to the panel, people aged 65 and older should decide on vaccination in consultation with a doctor or healthcare provider. The same approach is recommended for those aged 6 months to 64 years, emphasising that the benefits are greatest for individuals at higher risk of severe COVID-19 and lowest for those at lower risk, based on CDC-defined risk factors.

These recommendations are not final and will be reviewed by Acting CDC Director Jim O’Neill for approval. Changes could still be made before official implementation.

Who Should Consult a Healthcare Provider Before Vaccination?

On September 19, 2025, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to discontinue its universal recommendation for COVID-19 vaccinations. Instead, the committee endorsed a "shared clinical decision-making" approach, advising individuals to consult with healthcare providers before receiving the vaccine. This decision particularly affects individuals under 65 without underlying health conditions, as they are now encouraged to make vaccination decisions in collaboration with their clinicians. This new action is important for:

High-Risk Groups

The new guidance underscores the importance of shared decision-making for individuals aged 65 and older, as well as those under 65 with underlying health conditions. For these groups, the ACIP recommends discussing the risks and benefits of vaccination with a healthcare provider. This approach aims to ensure that vaccination decisions are tailored to individual health profiles and circumstances, as per The Washington Post.

Access and Implementation

Despite the shift in recommendations, COVID-19 vaccines will remain accessible to all individuals. Major insurers have committed to continuing coverage through at least 2026. However, the change may impact access, especially for those without regular access to healthcare providers. Pharmacists, who previously administered vaccines without prescriptions, will now be limited to providing them only to individuals who have consulted with a healthcare provider.

Access and Coverage Amid the CDC Changes

A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services emphasized that the move to shared clinical decision-making will not limit vaccine access. Immunization coverage will continue through all payment mechanisms, including entitlement programs like Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Medicaid, and Medicare, as well as insurance plans available via the federal Health Insurance Marketplace.

ALSO READ: CDC Advisers Postpone Vote On Newborn Hepatitis B Shot; What It Means For Your Child

This ensures that even with the shift from a universal recommendation, individuals consulting their healthcare providers can still receive COVID-19 vaccines without facing coverage barriers.

Hepatitis B Vaccine Vote Postponed

The CDC advisory committee’s COVID-19 discussions followed a turbulent start to their meeting, including a redo of earlier guidance on the MMRV (measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox) vaccines. A notable development was the postponement of a vote on the hepatitis B vaccine for newborns.

Advisers voted 11–1 to delay changes to the current recommendation, which involves giving babies a hepatitis B shot at birth before hospital discharge. The discussion had explored the possibility of waiting until newborns are at least a month old to receive the vaccine. a recommendation that would have marked a significant change in neonatal care protocols, as per ABC News.

Most of us have felt our heartbeat quicken during a tense meeting or after one too many cups of coffee. Usually, we brush it aside. But for millions of people, that racing pulse signals something much more serious, high blood pressure. Often called the ‘silent killer,’ it shows few warning signs until it leads to major complications.

According to the 2025 American Heart Association Statistical Update, nearly half of U.S. adults, around 122 million people, are living with high blood pressure, a top preventable cause of heart disease, stroke, and early death. Shockingly, only about one in four have their condition under control.

With cases climbing each year, the American Heart Association has introduced new guidelines on blood pressure management. Here’s a closer look at the changes and what they could mean for you.

The New AHA-ACC Hypertension Guidelines: What You Should Know

In August 2025, the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) updated their blood pressure guidelines, with an emphasis on earlier intervention and personalized care. High blood pressure remains one of the most common and dangerous health conditions, but these updated recommendations aim to catch risks sooner and improve outcomes.

Key Updates at a Glance

• Earlier Treatment: People with a 10-year cardiovascular disease risk of 10% or more are advised to begin medication sooner, along with lifestyle changes.
• Personalized Risk Assessment: Doctors are encouraged to use the PREVENT™ calculator to estimate a person’s 10-year risk of heart attack, stroke, or heart failure.
• Expanded Lab Testing: New tests, such as the urine albumin: creatinine ratio, are now recommended to help tailor treatment.
• Lifestyle First: The guidelines reinforce limiting sodium intake to 1,500 mg per day, managing weight, and staying physically active.
• Alcohol Limits: Men should limit to two drinks a day, women to one.

Blood Pressure Categories (Unchanged Since 2017)

• Normal: <120 / <80 mm Hg
• Elevated: 120–129 / <80 mm Hg
• Stage 1 Hypertension: 130–139 / 80–89 mm Hg
• Stage 2 Hypertension: ≥140 / ≥90 mm Hg

When to Start Treatment

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For Stage 2 hypertension (≥140/90), doctors may recommend combination pills, including ACE inhibitors, ARBs, calcium-channel blockers, or thiazide diuretics.

What Is High Blood Pressure?

Many people live with high blood pressure without even knowing it. The condition develops when blood flows through your arteries with greater force than normal, putting extra strain on the heart and blood vessels.

Blood pressure is measured using two numbers, written like this: 120/80 mm Hg and read as “120 over 80.” The first number, called systolic pressure, shows the force of blood when the heart pumps it out. The second, known as diastolic pressure, measures the pressure when the heart relaxes and refills between beats.

ALSO READ: High Blood Pressure Affects Nearly Half Of US Adults: 2025 American Heart Association Report Reveals, Who Is At More Risk

Understanding what your blood pressure numbers mean is the first step toward protecting your heart and overall health. Since high blood pressure often shows no obvious symptoms, regular monitoring and adopting healthy habits like balanced eating, exercise, and stress management can make a big difference. Small, consistent changes today can help lower risks of serious complications like heart disease and stroke in the future.

A federal advisory committee postponed Friday’s planned vote on whether to delay some newborns’ first hepatitis B vaccine, disrupting the second day of a closely watched meeting on updates to the childhood immunization schedule.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) panel, recently reshaped by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., raised questions about the safety and necessity of the hepatitis B vaccine during Thursday’s discussions. With the vote now postponed, parents may be wondering what this means for their child’s vaccination schedule. Below, we make it easy for you.

CDC Advisers Postpone Vote On Newborn Hepatitis B ShotHealth experts welcomed the news as the vaccine panel under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. voted to maintain current guidance on a vaccine that has protected children for decades.

For nearly 35 years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended that newborns receive their first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth.

On September 19, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) postponed a vote that would have delayed the first dose until at least one month after birth for babies born to mothers who test negative for hepatitis B. This comes after the panel’s September 18 meeting, where members voted to no longer recommend the combined MMRV vaccine for children under 4 years old.

ALSO READ: As CDC Advisers Vote Against MMRV Vaccine For Kids Under 4, Here's What Parents Should Know

Initially, the panel had voted to continue covering these vaccines for children under 4 through the Vaccines for Children programme, which ensures access for families who may not afford them. However, they later voted to remove that coverage. While most adults recover fully from hepatitis B, about 90% of infected infants and 30% of children infected between ages 1 and 5 develop lifelong infections, which can lead to severe liver damage, liver cancer, or even death, according to the CDC.

What This Decision Means for Your Child’s Health

For now, newborns will continue to receive the hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth, keeping the long-standing protection policy in place. Experts say this early dose is crucial because infants are far more likely than older children or adults to develop chronic hepatitis B if infected.

The panel had been considering a delay for babies born to mothers who test negative for hepatitis B, but keeping the current schedule ensures that children remain safeguarded against a serious liver infection from day one.

Safety and Effectiveness of the Hepatitis B Birth Dose

The hepatitis B vaccine given within 24 hours of birth is considered both safe and highly effective. Decades of research and real-world use have shown that newborns tolerate the vaccine well, with only minor side effects such as mild soreness at the injection site or a low-grade fever in rare cases.

Giving the first dose at birth is particularly important because infants are far more vulnerable to developing chronic hepatitis B if infected. Around 90% of infants who contract the virus go on to develop lifelong infections, which can lead to severe liver problems, liver cancer, or even premature death.

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Early vaccination helps the immune system recognise and fight the virus, providing protection from the very first hours of life. The birth dose, followed by subsequent doses as part of the recommended schedule, has been credited with dramatically reducing hepatitis B infections in young children and protecting millions of babies worldwide.

U.S. vaccine advisers on Thursday, September 18, 2025, moved to change how one of the country’s key childhood vaccines is used, marking another step in Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy’s broader push to reshape national immunization policy.

The advisory panel to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended that parents should not have the option of giving children under 4 the combined measles-mumps-rubella-varicella (MMRV) shot. A separate vote on hepatitis B vaccines for newborns, which was expected the same day, has been pushed to Friday. That decision could alter decades of U.S. vaccine policy that has successfully kept annual hepatitis B cases in babies down to only a few dozen.

With these shifts under way, here’s what parents should know about their children’s vaccinations.

Kennedy Advisers Vote Against MMRV Shot for Children Under 4

An influential panel advising the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) voted Thursday, September 18, 2025, to scale back recommendations for the combined MMRV vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox.

The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted 8–3 in favour of narrowing its use, with one member abstaining due to a conflict of interest.

ALSO READ: Hepatitis B Vaccination Timeline For Children Under Review Without Scientific Data, Says Former CDC Director Susan Monarez

The decision means the combined MMRV shot will no longer be recommended as the first dose for children around 12 months of age. Instead, children should receive two separate shots: one for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR), and another for varicella (chickenpox). The combined MMRV vaccine will still be offered for the second dose, given between ages 4 and 6.

A separate vote on whether to end the long-standing recommendation that all newborns receive the hepatitis B vaccine at birth was postponed until Friday, September 19, 2025. The outcome could reshape decades of U.S. vaccine policy.

Separate Shots vs. Combined Shot: What’s the Difference?

The MMRV vaccine is a single shot that protects children against measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox. It was developed to make the vaccination process easier by reducing the number of injections a child needs.

But research has found that when toddlers receive this combined vaccine as their first dose, they face a slightly higher chance of developing febrile seizures which are brief convulsions linked to fever. Because of that risk, CDC advisers have recommended giving two separate shots instead: one for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) and another for chickenpox (varicella).

For the second dose, usually given between ages four and six, the combined vaccine will still be available since the seizure risk is far lower in older children.

ALSO READ: WHO Guidelines On Weight Loss Drugs For Obesity

Hepatitis B Decision Still Pending

Hepatitis B is a virus that can quietly remain in the body for years while damaging the liver. Most adults who contract it recover fully, but the risks are much higher for infants. Around 9 in 10 babies infected go on to develop chronic hepatitis B, which greatly increases the chance of liver damage, cancer, or the need for a transplant later in life. Studies show that about one in four infected children die prematurely from the disease.

To prevent this, the CDC has advised since 1991 that babies receive their first hepatitis B shot within hours of birth. That recommendation has been highly effective, cutting annual infections in newborns from an estimated 18,000 to only about 20 cases today.

Still, the birth dose has been criticised by anti-vaccine groups, who argue it is unnecessary because hepatitis B is most often spread through contaminated needles or sexual contact.

What Parents Should Ask Their Paediatrician

With new vaccine recommendations being discussed, parents may want to talk through a few key points with their child’s doctor.

• Vaccine schedule: Should your child get the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) and chickenpox shots separately, or is the combined MMRV vaccine a better choice later on?
• Health risks: If your child has a history of seizures or certain medical conditions, would separate shots be safer?
• Second dose: When is the right time for the booster between ages 4 and 6, and is the combined vaccine suitable at that stage?
• Hepatitis B: What is the current guidance on the birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine, and why is it important?
• Side effects: What mild reactions should you expect after vaccination, and how can they be managed at home?