SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — An Illinois official released a statement on the decision made by a federal committee on Friday to end a long-standing recommendation that US babies get the hepatitis B vaccine when they're born .

The Illinois Department of Public Health released a statement from Director Dr. Sameer Vohra on the decision.

Dr. Vohra said that the recommendation to have US babies get the hepatitis B vaccine was in place because it was backed by "the best available science."

"For decades, the best available science has shown that administering the hepatitis B vaccine at birth is safe, effective, and critical in preventing chronic liver disease and liver cancer later in life," said Dr. Vohra.

He added that the decision made him "deeply concerned" on a professional and on a personal

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