U.S. Vaccine Panel May Delay Hepatitis B Shot for Many Newborns

A key U.S. health committee is expected to vote Thursday on a major change to infant vaccinations. The panel will likely recommend delaying the first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine for newborns whose mothers test negative for the virus. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) makes these recommendations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) typically adopts them as official policy for doctors nationwide. Currently, all newborns receive their first hepatitis B shot within 24 hours of birth. The virus can cause severe liver disease. The long-standing policy aims to protect infants from infected mothers or from community exposure early in life. The proposed change would shift the first dose to either the two-month or six-month pediatric checkup for babies of virus-free mothers. This would affect a large majority of births. The committee cites high vaccination rates in older children and a desire to simplify the birth hospitalization as reasons for the potential delay. The final recommendation will follow the ACIP's official vote. If approved, the CDC will update its national guidelines for pediatric care.