Vaccine advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention unexpectedly postponed controversial votes Thursday on changes to the current recommendation of universally immunizing newborns against hepatitis B. Confusion and disagreement over the language of the votes led the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP, to push them to Friday.

The committee meeting was marked by unusual conflict and chaos.

"This is the third version of the questions that we have received in 72 hours, and we're trying to evaluate a moving target," said Dr. Joseph Hibbeln, a psychiatrist and voting member of the committee. "I protest the description that the ACIP members have been consulted in developing these questions."

The vote was intended to focus on ending a longstanding recommendatio

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