In a recent effort by RFK Jr. to roll back vaccine recommendations, a panel of federal vaccine advisors voted to stop recommending the hepatitis B vaccine for all newborns.
The vote took place on Friday, December 5, 2025, and has faced significant backlash from the medical community. Under the new guidelines from the RFK Jr.-led CDC and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the vaccine will now only be recommended for newborns “whose mothers test positive and in cases where the mother wasn’t tested,” according to AP.
Longstanding federal vaccination recommendations to protect newborns and children from hepatitis B have highlighted the importance of this shot, which helps prevent a viral infection that attacks the liver and can lead to both acute and chronic diseases, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
During the panel's meeting, two critical questions regarding the vaccination of newborns born to mothers who tested negative for hepatitis B were up for vote. The first question, which provoked the most outcry, stated:
“For infants born to hepatitis B-negative women: ACIP recommends individual-based decision-making, in consultation with a healthcare provider, regarding the HBV vaccine, including the birth dose. Parents and healthcare providers should consider the benefits and risks of vaccination and infection. If the HBV birth dose is not administered, it is suggested that the initial dose be given no earlier than 2 months of age.”
The second question considered when to administer the vaccine if the newborn did not receive it immediately after birth, leaving the decision to the parents' discretion.
Before the panel's meeting, the American Academy of Pediatrics released a report analyzing the consequences of delaying the birth dose of the vaccine. Their findings, based on research from the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy’s Vaccine Integrity Project, indicated that “about 90% of infants infected at birth develop chronic hepatitis B infection, with 25% of those with chronic infections likely to die prematurely from the disease.”
The voting panel justified the change by recommending the birth dose only for newborns of mothers who tested positive for the infection. As a result, newborns of mothers who have not been tested or are unaware of their infection face a higher risk of developing chronic liver infection.
This decision follows numerous states eliminating vaccine mandates and recommendations for diseases such as measles. The CDC reported a total of 1,828 cases and outbreaks of measles in the past year across 34 states and jurisdictions.
It remains crucial for parents to research vaccination options and have discussions with their physicians and pediatricians regarding vaccinations against infections and illnesses proven to be low-risk once vaccinated.