Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s handpicked vaccine committee voted to scrap the universal recommendation for hepatitis B shots at birth, overturning three decades of public health policy that reduced childhood infections by 99%.
Story Snapshot
- Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted 8-3 to weaken hepatitis B birth dose recommendations
- New guidance allows parents to delay vaccination until 2 months for babies whose mothers test negative
- Medical experts warn the change could lead to increased infections and harm to children
- Decision overturns successful policy that prevented 6 million infections over three decades
Kennedy’s Committee Overturns Decades of Medical Consensus
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted Friday to eliminate universal hepatitis B vaccination recommendations for newborns.
The 8-3 vote replaces the long-standing guidance requiring all babies to receive the shot within 24 hours of birth with weaker recommendations allowing parental choice for infants whose mothers test negative for the virus.
Kennedy previously gutted the committee and appointed 12 new members, including known vaccine critics.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s hand-picked vaccine committee voted on Friday to do away with the long-standing, universal recommendation that all babies receive a hepatitis B shot at birth, issuing weaker guidance for certain infants. https://t.co/btpVnMnLJE pic.twitter.com/fiAIRl5n9d
— CNBC (@CNBC) December 5, 2025
Medical Community Warns of Dangerous Consequences
Pediatric experts strongly opposed the committee’s decision, citing serious safety concerns for newborns. Dr. Cody Meissner from Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine warned that more children will be injured and catch hepatitis B infections under the new guidance.
Dr. Joseph Hibbeln, a voting member who opposed the change, stated the decision “has great potential to cause harm.” The American Medical Association called the vote “reckless” and criticized it for undermining decades of public confidence in proven vaccines.
Three-Decade Success Story at Risk
The current vaccination schedule has achieved remarkable public health outcomes since its introduction thirty years ago. A 2024 CDC study documented that the universal birth dose policy prevented more than 6 million hepatitis B infections and nearly 1 million related hospitalizations.
The policy drove down childhood infections by 99%, making it widely recognized as a significant public health victory. Hepatitis B can cause liver disease and early death, with infants particularly vulnerable to developing chronic infections that have no cure.
Scientific Evidence Contradicts Committee Decision
Medical evidence strongly supports maintaining the current vaccination timeline for newborn safety. Test results can produce false negatives, mothers may become infected after testing, and babies can contract the virus from household members.
Decades of safety data demonstrate the hepatitis B shot’s effectiveness when administered to newborns during the critical neonatal period.
Committee member Retsef Levi made unfounded claims that experts have “never tested” the vaccine appropriately, contradicting established scientific consensus on vaccine safety and efficacy.
