Tennessee ranks among the top five states in the nation for Hepatitis B infections, and policy changes in Washington could make it harder to protect newborns from the virus.

Hepatitis B is especially dangerous for babies. The infection can become a chronic condition that, down the line, can lead to several forms of cancer, liver disease and death. That’s pretty rare for adults who get infected – about 5% of cases. But for infants, that rate is 90%. That’s why it has been standard practice since 1991 to give all infants a Hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth.

Over several days last week, a federal group called the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices met in Atlanta. Once a routine if not mundane governing body, the panel has become highly politicized under Health and Human

See Full Page