CNN Inside Politics A Major Shift in Public Health Policy
Dec 5, 2025
Dr. Jonathan Reiner, a physician and CNN medical analyst, discusses the CDC's controversial recommendation to delay the Hepatitis B vaccine for newborns, linking the decision to Robert Kennedy Jr.'s vaccine skepticism. He highlights the importance of immediate vaccination for preventing neonatal hepatitis B and critiques the erosion of trust in the CDC. Father Luis Duarte, a Catholic priest from New Orleans, shares the impact of immigration enforcement on his congregants, detailing the fear in the Hispanic community and advocating for compassion in enforcement practices.
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Policy Shift Risks Reversing Vaccine Gains
- The HHS secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. replaced ACIP members and the panel voted to delay newborn hepatitis B vaccination until two months of age. This change risks sowing doubt and decreasing vaccination rates despite decades of evidence the birth dose nearly eliminated pediatric hepatitis B.
Vaccination Nearly Eliminated Pediatric Hep B
- Routine hepatitis B vaccination drove cases in children from nearly 20,000 pre-1991 to about 20 in 2020. Delaying the birth dose threatens to erode a generation-long public health success and could cause preventable deaths.
Talk To Your Doctor About The Birth Dose
- Jonathan Reiner urged parents to rely on pediatricians and OBGYNs rather than the current CDC/HHS leadership. He recommended parents talk directly with their doctors about vaccinating newborns at birth rather than waiting two months.
