The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s vaccine advisory committee voted 8-3 on Friday to eliminate the universal recommendation for hepatitis B vaccination at birth.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to make vaccine recommendations based on the mother’s testing status.
The recommendations state that if a mother tests negative for hepatitis B, parents should decide, with the guidance from your healthcare provider whether the vaccine is right for your newborn, known as “individual decision-making,” according to an ACIP voting language document.
The vote includes that newborns who do not receive the birth dose against hepatitis B receive an initial dose no earlier than 2 months of age.
The voting document emphasized that there is no change to the recommendation that babies born to women who test positive or whose status is unknown be vaccinated.
A hepatitis B vaccine in Atlanta, Georgia, September 29, 2023.
Alyssa Pointer for The Washington Post via Getty Images
The linguistic document also included a footnote. Parents and healthcare providers should consider whether the newborn faces risks, such as a hepatitis B-positive household member or frequent contact with people who have migrated from areas where hepatitis B is common.
In a second vote, the ACIP voted 6-4, with one abstention, that parents of older children should talk to their doctor about hepatitis B antibody testing before considering subsequent hepatitis B vaccination.
The test would determine if an antibody threshold was met and should be covered by insurance.
The CDC’s acting director, Health and Human Services Undersecretary Jim O’Neill, is expected to approve the change.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
