Tangle The new hepatitis B vaccine recommendations.
Dec 8, 2025
A recent vote by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has changed the hepatitis B vaccine guidelines for newborns. The revised recommendation suggests that newborns of hepatitis B negative mothers might only receive their first dose after two months. This decision sparked polarized reactions: some on the left criticize the move as lacking medical justification, while others on the right applaud its alignment with international practices. Medical professionals warn this could increase disease risk, adding another layer of complexity to parental decision-making.
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ACIP Changes Hepatitis B Birth-Dose Policy
- ACIP voted to remove the universal newborn Hep B recommendation after presentations from vaccine critics and without CDC experts speaking.
- The committee now advises mothers who test negative to consult doctors and consider delaying the first dose until at least two months.
Political Shift Drove The Committee's Vote
- The new ACIP makeup followed Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s firing and replacement of all members with many vaccine critics.
- Medical groups warn the change risks rising hepatitis B cases and undermines CDC's science-driven role.
Left: Decision Lacks Scientific Rationale
- Critics on the left argue the change lacks medical justification and that presentations came from non-experts and anti-vaccine activists.
- They note universal newborn vaccination drove pediatric Hep B cases from 18,000 in 1991 to about 20 now.
