RFK Jr. Successfully Influences Advisers to Change Guidance on Hepatitis B Vaccine

A federal vaccine advisory group, appointed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., voted on Friday to recommend postponing the hepatitis B vaccine for most newborns. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices approved the change with an 8-3 vote, overturning the long-standing government policy of vaccinating all infants at birth against the liver infection.

Under the new guidance, the vaccinepreviously credited with preventing thousands of caseswould be administered only to babies whose mothers test positive for hepatitis B or have not been tested. If parents choose to delay vaccination at birth, the panel suggests giving the first dose at two months.

Dr. Cody Meissner, a committee member, voiced concern, stating, We are doing harm by changing this wording, and I vote no.

Committee member Vicky Pebsworth explained that the reevaluation was prompted by pressure from stakeholder groups wanting the policy to be revisited, without providing further details. A representative for Kennedy did not comment on the matter.

Senator Bill Cassidy, a physician specializing in liver disease, criticized the committee, calling it totally discredited. In 2022, Kennedy, long known for his skepticism toward vaccines, claimed the hepatitis B shot was made for prostitutes and for promiscuous gay men, despite the virus also being transmissible through even minimal contact with infected blood.

The final decision on adopting the panels recommendation now rests with the acting head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Jim ONeill. Meanwhile, the American Academy of Pediatrics intends to continue advocating the original CDC schedule: the first dose at birth, a second at one to two months, and a third between six and 18 months.

Some states are maintaining their own guidance. Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey stated on CNN that the federal panel is not doing their jobs, and affirmed that her state will continue recommending the vaccine at birth.

Since the hepatitis B vaccine became routine for newborns in 1991, pediatric infections have dropped by 99%. Despite the recent changes, state officials like Healey emphasize the importance of maintaining that progress.

Author: Logan Reeves