At Friday’s ACIP vaccine advisory committee meeting, the group undid decades of science-based recommendations that a dose of the hepatitis B vaccine should be administered to all newborns. Instead, they came up with changes that are complicated and will be confusing for parents to navigate. How will this affect public health? What does this mean for parents?

Why Vaccinate Newborns Against Hepatitis B

The hepatitis B vaccine has universally been given to babies within 24 hours of birth since 1991. This birth dose dramatically decreases the incidence of acute hepatitis B, as you can see in my pre-ACIP meeting post . Chronic hepatitis B dropped by 99% after universal birth dosing was implemented. Vaccination also reduces later complications like chronic infection, cirrhosis, liver failu

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