US vaccine committee revises recommendation for hepatitis B shot in newborns

On December 5, a panel of vaccine experts advising U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. voted to change the recommendation that all newborns should automatically receive the hepatitis B vaccine.

For babies born to mothers who test negative for hepatitis B, the committee, in an 8-to-11 vote, suggested that parents, together with their healthcare provider, decide if and when the child should start the vaccine series.

The panel also recommended that if parents choose to postpone vaccination, the first dose should not be given before the infant reaches two months of age.

Author: Sophia Brooks