The CDC’s vaccine advisory committee is scheduled to meet on December 4-5 to potentially vote on hepatitis B vaccine policies.
This follows a postponed vote in September on delaying the first hepatitis B vaccine dose for most newborns.
Driving the news: The committee was recently restructured by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., known for his vaccine skepticism and policy shifts.
- Kennedy has moved to change US vaccination policy, including removing COVID vaccine recommendations for pregnant women and children, limiting state vaccine mandates, and cutting mRNA vaccine research funding.
The big picture: Infants infected with hepatitis B at birth or within their first year have a 90% risk of chronic infection, with possible severe liver diseases later in life.
- The December meeting agenda includes vaccine safety, the immunization schedule for children and adolescents, and hepatitis B vaccines.
- In September, the panel debated delaying the first hepatitis B shot until at least one month old for babies born to mothers testing negative for hepatitis B.
- Some voices, including former President Trump, have advocated delaying the hepatitis B vaccine until children are at least 12 years old.
