The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted Friday to recommend eliminating the recommended schedule for administering the hepatitis B birth dose. The vote comes one day after the panel delayed a vote amid confusion over the wording of the proposed changes.

The hepatitis B vaccine provides immediate antibodies to help prevent transmission of the virus. The CDC currently recommends that nearly all newborns receive the shot as part of routine care. The ACIP is now recommending eliminating the CDC's universal recommendation of the birth dose.

Current guidance calls for a three-shot series with doses given within 24 hours of birth, at 1 to 2 months, and at 6 to 18 months.

If the CDC approves the changes recommended by the ACIP, CDC g

See Full Page