A US vaccine advisory panel appointed under the Trump administration has voted to end the long-standing recommendation that all newborns receive a hepatitis B vaccine
Washington DC: An advisory panel reshaped by President Donald Trump’s vaccine-sceptic health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has voted to end the decades-old US recommendation for universal hepatitis B vaccination at birth.
The panel, part of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), backed a shift towards “individual-based decision-making” for infants born to mothers who test negative for the virus. The new guidance advises parents and health care providers to weigh vaccine benefits, risks and infection likelihood before deciding on the first dose.
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An advisory panel reshaped by President Donald Trump’s vaccine-sceptic health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has voted to overturn the longstanding US recommendation that all newborns receive a hepatitis B vaccine at birth. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) panel approved a shift to “individual-based decision-making” for infants born to mothers who test negative for the virus, advising families and clinicians to weigh benefits, risks and infection likelihood before administering the first dose.
Decades-old birth-dose vaccine strategy dismantled
For more than 30 years, US health authorities had advised that all newborns receive a hepatitis B shot shortly after birth. The policy was credited with virtually eliminating infections among young people, particularly cases transmitted from mothers who were unaware they carried the virus or had received false-negative test results.
After delaying the vote by a day, the committee approved the new approach by 8–3. Trump celebrated the decision on Truth Social, calling it “a very good decision”.
Medical groups warn of rising infant infection risk
Major medical organisations quickly condemned the reversal. The American Academy of Pediatrics described the new guidance as “irresponsible and purposely misleading”, warning it will increase the risk of hepatitis B infections among infants and children.
Experts stressed that gaps in US maternal screening and the possibility of exposure from caregivers or contacts make the universal birth dose a critical protective measure.
The panel also recommended that infants who do not receive the shot at birth should delay the first dose until at least two months of age and undergo antibody testing before receiving a second dose.
Kennedy’s overhaul reshapes vaccine policy landscape
The decision follows a sweeping overhaul of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) earlier this year, when Kennedy dismissed every existing member and replaced them with figures whose views more closely align with his scepticism of vaccines.
Since then, the committee has already revised guidance on Covid-19 and measles vaccines and begun an expansive review of the entire childhood immunisation schedule.
Friday’s session drew criticism for allowing testimony from lawyer Aaron Siri, a long-time Kennedy ally known for promoting unfounded claims about vaccines.
Republican backlash emerges despite Trump’s support
Not all Republicans backed the decision. Senator Bill Cassidy, a physician, urged the CDC not to adopt the new recommendation, noting that the previous guidance was never a vaccine mandate. Cassidy’s remarks resurfaced criticism over his vote earlier this year to confirm Kennedy as health secretary.
Shift breaks with global health bodies
The United States had recommended universal hepatitis B vaccination for newborns since 1991, aligning with guidance from the World Health Organization, China and Australia.
Several ACIP members argued that the reversal moves the US closer to practices in countries such as France and Britain. However, scientists note that the committee’s credibility has weakened, with several Democratic-led states announcing they will no longer follow its guidance due to concerns over political influence.
During deliberations, committee member Cody Meissner urged the panel not to abandon the universal recommendation, stressing that reversing it violates the principle of medical caution. “Do no harm is a moral imperative,” he warned.
(With AFP inputs)
Published: 06 Dec 2025, 07:27 am IST
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