RFK Jr.'s vaccine changes endanger pregnant women and children

On Friday, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted 8-3 to change its longstanding recommendation that all newborns receive a hepatitis B vaccine immediately after birth. This decision followed heated discussions earlier in the week and came shortly after Vinay Prasad, director of the FDAs Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), claimed in a leaked memo that COVID-19 vaccines were linked to the deaths of ten children, a claim that lacked any supporting evidence. Prasad also criticized the current vaccine approval process, calling it insufficient.

Health experts have expressed serious concern that altering the childhood vaccination schedule could make vaccines less accessible to children and pregnant women, putting their health at risk. Dr. Susan J. Kressly, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), warned that the new guidance could increase hepatitis B infections among infants. She emphasized that there is no new evidence suggesting any change in risk from the hepatitis B vaccine, and that the adjustment appears to be intended to create fear and distrust among families.

Since 1991, ACIP has recommended hepatitis B vaccination for all infants, which led to a 99% reduction in severe infections between 1990 and 2019. The new guidance advises giving the first dose 30 days after birth for children of mothers who tested negative for hepatitis B, instead of within the first 24 hours. Dr. Raynard Washington, chair of the Big Cities Health Coalition, highlighted that delays in vaccination could reduce access and put newborns at risk of infection. He stressed that parents should not bear the sole responsibility for deciding when to vaccinate immediately after birth.

Dr. Sean OLeary, chair of the AAP Committee on Infectious Diseases, described the policy changes as a dangerous step that undermines scientific guidance. He emphasized that the childhood immunization schedule is carefully designed to provide protection when children are most vulnerable. Altering the timing of vaccines, he said, could jeopardize both individual and public health.

The leaked memo from Prasad revealed additional plans to reconsider annual flu-shot policies, simultaneous vaccination limits, and stricter data requirements for vaccine approval, particularly concerning pregnant women. While it is true that COVID-19 vaccines were not tested in randomized trials among pregnant people, experts note that failing to vaccinate carries significant risks. Pregnant women with comorbidities are particularly vulnerable to severe COVID-19 and influenza outcomes.

Stephanie Gaw, a reproductive sciences expert at UCSF, warned that new vaccine requirements could further limit pregnant patients access to life-saving immunizations. She pointed out that large-scale trials needed to prove disease reduction would be prohibitively costly and impractical, while existing antibody response data already provide reliable measures of vaccine effectiveness.

Local public health departments are already facing challenges in maintaining vaccine access. Phil Huang, director of Dallas County Health and Human Services, reported staff reductions and canceled community outreach events due to declining COVID-19 vaccination funding. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also cut $500 million in funding for mRNA vaccine development earlier this year, further straining resources.

Despite the ACIP vote, the AAP continues to recommend the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth, followed by subsequent doses at one to two months and six months. Dr. Kressly emphasized that the current schedule has been extensively tested and proven safe and effective over decades.

Author: Jackson Miller