US Hepatitis B Vaccine Policy Change
Analysis based on 6 articles · First reported Dec 05, 2025 · Last updated Dec 14, 2025
The change in the United States — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's vaccine policy, influenced by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s appointments to the United States — Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, could lead to an increase in Hepatitis B infections in the United States. This may negatively impact public health and potentially increase healthcare costs, while also creating uncertainty for parents and healthcare providers.
The United States — Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which advises the United States — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), voted on December 5, 2025, to stop recommending universal hepatitis B vaccination for all newborns in the United States. This decision reverses a 34-year-old policy that significantly reduced early childhood Hepatitis B infections. The change was spurred by Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. disbanding and handpicking new members for the ACIP, leading to a departure from established procedures. The new recommendation advises that infants whose mothers test negative for the virus should consult with their healthcare provider for 'individual-based decision-making,' introducing uncertainty. Experts, including pediatrician David Higgins, warn that this shift is not based on new evidence and could lead to an additional 476 perinatal Hepatitis B infections annually, eroding a critical public health safety net.
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