Washington, other West Coast states, go against CDC, recommend hepatitis B vaccine for all newborns Eilís O'Neill December 05, 2025 / 5:04 pm

A CDC panel voted on Friday to recommend the hepatitis B vaccine only to the babies of mothers who test positive for the virus, and to suggest that, for all other babies, doctors and parents should have a conversation about the risks and benefits of the shot, a process known as “shared clinical decision-making.”

That goes against what the federal government has recommended for nearly 35 years and against the guidance of medical organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

That’s why Washington state’s health department, and the West Coast Health Alliance (WCHA), are co

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