Science Friday How Did Vaccine Policies Actually Change In 2025?
Dec 22, 2025
Jackie Fortiér, a health policy reporter at KFF Health News, and Arthur Allen, a senior correspondent and vaccine expert, delve into the drastic vaccine policy shifts of 2025. They discuss the CDC's controversial decision to alter hepatitis B recommendations and the implications for newborns. Both guests highlight the confusion around COVID vaccine guidance, practical barriers in pediatric vaccination, and worrying drops in overall vaccination rates. Their insights paint a picture of a changing landscape in public health, driven by new skepticism.
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Hep B Birth Dose Recommendation Reversed
- The CDC reversed its universal birth-dose hepatitis B recommendation to a risk-based approach, returning to pre-1991 practice.
- Jackie Fortiér warns this change wasn't evidence-based and could fuel more misinformation about the birth dose.
Policy Shift Toward Vaccine Skepticism
- Arthur Allen describes a shift in federal vaccine policymaking toward skeptics now holding influence.
- He says policy decisions are fitting leaders' beliefs instead of being grounded in research-based risk-benefit analysis.
Actively Seek COVID Vaccines If You Want One
- If you want a COVID vaccine now, be prepared to look harder and call multiple providers to find availability.
- Arthur Allen and Jackie Fortiér note vaccines remain covered but may be harder to access locally.