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Itisha Arya

Hep B Vaccine: CDC Panel Changes Guidance, No Longer Recommends Hepatitis B Vaccine At Birth

hepatitis b vaccine

<span>Hep B Vaccine</span>: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's vaccine advisory panel voted Friday to change the recommendation for when children should get their first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine. Instead of a first dose within 24 hours of birth — as the <span>CDC</span> has advised for more than 30 years, which is the panel voted to recommend delaying it until a child is 2 months old for children born to mothers who test negative for the virus.

The advisory committee has now endorsed a plan that allows families of infants born to hepatitis B negative mothers to decide, with their doctor, when the birth dose should be given. The vote was 8 to 2 in favour of shifting to case-by-case discussions rather than a universal early dose.

<h2>Hep B Vaccine: CDC Panel Recommends Delaying Birth Dose Of Hepatitis B Vaccine</h2>

A number of medical bodies, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, opposed the proposal. They cautioned that delaying this first shot exposes infants to unnecessary danger and pointed to extensive evidence confirming the vaccine’s long record of safety and effectiveness.

The vote came during the second day of the committee’s December session, after confusion on Thursday forced the group to postpone making a decision.

All members of the panel were appointed by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The meeting opened with the reading of the draft language, followed by extended debate among committee members and invited specialists. Restef Levi, a panel member with a mathematics background and no clinical training, spoke forcefully against the long-standing policy and made incorrect claims about how the vaccine had been evaluated.

Senior paediatric experts, including Dr Cody Meissner, a former member of both the FDA vaccines panel and ACIP, and committee member Dr Joseph Hibbeln, continued to raise objections throughout the discussion. Hibbeln pointed out that this was the fourth iteration of the wording presented to them in a span of roughly four days and said that no solid scientific evidence had been offered to justify changing the recommendation. Meissner argued that the current guidance already permits parental choice and said revising the language would do more harm than good.

<h2>Hep B Vaccine: What Is It About?</h2>

Hepatitis B is an incurable viral infection that can lead to chronic liver disease, cancer and early death. The United States has recommended the newborn hepatitis B dose since 1991. Since then, infections in infants and children have dropped by 99 per cent.

ACIP’s recommendations now move to the CDC director for a final decision. States ultimately determine their own vaccination rules, though most follow federal guidance. Insurance coverage may also shift if the recommendation changes, because private insurers rely heavily on ACIP decisions to determine what must be covered.

The newborn dose has become a focal point for vaccine critics, including Kennedy, who wrongly suggested earlier this year that the shot might be linked to autism. Studies have repeatedly shown the birth dose is safe. Research has found no higher risk of infant death, fever, sepsis, multiple sclerosis or autoimmune conditions. Severe adverse reactions remain rare, and there is no evidence that delaying the dose offers any safety advantage.

<h2>Hepatitis B: A Contentious 2-day Meeting</h2>

Following Friday’s vote, the committee was scheduled to move on to childhood vaccine schedules and vaccine ingredients. No additional votes were on the agenda.

The meeting opened Thursday morning, with the hepatitis B vote originally planned for that afternoon. Members reviewed data on acute and chronic hepatitis B rates, transmission patterns and vaccine safety.

Meissner criticised several of the presentations, including one that suggested limited safety information for the newborn dose.

Dr Jason Goldman, who represents the American College of Physicians on the committee, called the session “completely inappropriate” and said the group was wasting public resources by failing to hold a rigorous scientific debate. He also reminded the panel that the newborn dose has never been compulsory and that parents already make decisions in consultation with their child’s doctor.

The vote was postponed after members said they had been shown multiple shifting versions of the voting questions and could not see the final text due to a technical glitch. Without printed copies available, some members said they were unclear on how many questions they were expected to vote on. Hibbeln remarked that the committee was being asked to consider “a moving target.”

Similar disorder occurred at ACIP’s September meeting, when members appeared confused about what they were voting on. They initially rejected funding for a combined measles-mumps-rubella-varicella vaccine for toddlers, then reversed themselves minutes later, and then changed direction again the following day.

<h2>Hep B Vaccine: Why Are Newborns Vaccinated For Hepatitis B?</h2>

Infants who contract hepatitis B at birth or during their first year face a ninety per cent likelihood of developing chronic infection, which can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure and liver cancer. About a quarter of those who develop long-term infection die early from related complications.

Because the virus spreads through blood and body fluids and can survive on surfaces, many schools and childcare centres require children to be vaccinated.

The American Academy of Pediatrics stresses the importance of administering the birth dose as early as possible. Dr Sean O’Leary, chair of the AAP Committee on Infectious Diseases and an assistant professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, told CBS News before the meeting that the vaccine has one of the strongest safety records in paediatrics. He said it remains one of the most dependable tools for preventing severe liver disease and cancer in adulthood.

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Hep B Vaccine: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's vaccine advisory panel voted Friday to change the recommendation for when children should get their first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine. Instead of a first dose within 24 hours of birth — as the CDC has advised for more than 30 years, which is the panel voted to recommend delaying it until a child is 2 months old for children born to mothers who test negative for the virus.The advisory committee has now endorsed a plan that allows families of infants born to hepatitis B negative mothers to decide, with their doctor, when the birth dose should be given. The vote was 8 to 2 in favour of shifting to case-by-case discussions rather than a universal early dose.Hep B Vaccine: CDC Panel Recommends Delaying Birth Dose Of Hepatitis B VaccineA number of medical bodies, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, opposed the proposal. They cautioned that delaying this first shot exposes infants to unnecessary danger and pointed to extensive evidence confirming the vaccine’s long record of safety and effectiveness.The vote came during the second day of the committee’s December session, after confusion on Thursday forced the group to postpone making a decision.All members of the panel were appointed by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The meeting opened with the reading of the draft language, followed by extended debate among committee members and invited specialists. Restef Levi, a panel member with a mathematics background and no clinical training, spoke forcefully against the long-standing policy and made incorrect claims about how the vaccine had been evaluated.Senior paediatric experts, including Dr Cody Meissner, a former member of both the FDA vaccines panel and ACIP, and committee member Dr Joseph Hibbeln, continued to raise objections throughout the discussion. Hibbeln pointed out that this was the fourth iteration of the wording presented to them in a span of roughly four days and said that no solid scientific evidence had been offered to justify changing the recommendation. Meissner argued that the current guidance already permits parental choice and said revising the language would do more harm than good.Hep B Vaccine: What Is It About?Hepatitis B is an incurable viral infection that can lead to chronic liver disease, cancer and early death. The United States has recommended the newborn hepatitis B dose since 1991. Since then, infections in infants and children have dropped by 99 per cent.ACIP’s recommendations now move to the CDC director for a final decision. States ultimately determine their own vaccination rules, though most follow federal guidance. Insurance coverage may also shift if the recommendation changes, because private insurers rely heavily on ACIP decisions to determine what must be covered.The newborn dose has become a focal point for vaccine critics, including Kennedy, who wrongly suggested earlier this year that the shot might be linked to autism. Studies have repeatedly shown the birth dose is safe. Research has found no higher risk of infant death, fever, sepsis, multiple sclerosis or autoimmune conditions. Severe adverse reactions remain rare, and there is no evidence that delaying the dose offers any safety advantage.Hepatitis B: A Contentious 2-day MeetingFollowing Friday’s vote, the committee was scheduled to move on to childhood vaccine schedules and vaccine ingredients. No additional votes were on the agenda.The meeting opened Thursday morning, with the hepatitis B vote originally planned for that afternoon. Members reviewed data on acute and chronic hepatitis B rates, transmission patterns and vaccine safety.Meissner criticised several of the presentations, including one that suggested limited safety information for the newborn dose.Dr Jason Goldman, who represents the American College of Physicians on the committee, called the session “completely inappropriate” and said the group was wasting public resources by failing to hold a rigorous scientific debate. He also reminded the panel that the newborn dose has never been compulsory and that parents already make decisions in consultation with their child’s doctor.The vote was postponed after members said they had been shown multiple shifting versions of the voting questions and could not see the final text due to a technical glitch. Without printed copies available, some members said they were unclear on how many questions they were expected to vote on. Hibbeln remarked that the committee was being asked to consider “a moving target.”Similar disorder occurred at ACIP’s September meeting, when members appeared confused about what they were voting on. They initially rejected funding for a combined measles-mumps-rubella-varicella vaccine for toddlers, then reversed themselves minutes later, and then changed direction again the following day.Hep B Vaccine: Why Are Newborns Vaccinated For Hepatitis B?Infants who contract hepatitis B at birth or during their first year face a ninety per cent likelihood of developing chronic infection, which can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure and liver cancer. About a quarter of those who develop long-term infection die early from related complications.Because the virus spreads through blood and body fluids and can survive on surfaces, many schools and childcare centres require children to be vaccinated.The American Academy of Pediatrics stresses the importance of administering the birth dose as early as possible. Dr Sean O’Leary, chair of the AAP Committee on Infectious Diseases and an assistant professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, told CBS News before the meeting that the vaccine has one of the strongest safety records in paediatrics. He said it remains one of the most dependable tools for preventing severe liver disease and cancer in adulthood.