On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted in favor of changing long-held guidance for newborn hepatitis B vaccinations.
The advisory panel voted 8-3 in favor of altering the recommendation that all newborns receive hepatitis B vaccinations at birth.
The Hill reports:
“For infants born to HBsAg-negative women: ACIP recommends individual-based decision-making, in consultation with a health care provider, for parents deciding when or if to give the HBV vaccine, including the birth dose. A Parents and health care providers should consider vaccine benefits, vaccine risks, and infection risks. For those not receiving the HBV birth dose, it is suggested that the initial dose is administered no earlier than 2 months of age.”
A minority of panelists strongly opposed to what they believed was a perceived harm that would stem from the vote and the lack of data supporting a change to the guidance.
“The language offers flexibility, access, coverage at any time. I vote yes,” ACIP member Hillary Blackburn said in her vote.
“This has a great potential to cause and I simply hope that the committee will accept its responsibility when this harm is caused and I vote no,” fellow panel member Joe Hibbelin stated as he gave the final vote.
“We’ve heard ‘do no harm’ is a moral imperative. We are doing harm by changing this wording. And I vote no,” said ACIP member Cody Meissner, who led the opposition to changing the guidance.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
