A panel of advisers to U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—who has previously expressed reservations about the U.S.—decided to withdraw the recommendation for a universal newborn policy against the U.S., prompting strong backlash from the medical community.
The change, which is expected to affect federal policy, ends a practice that has been in place for more than three decades. The proposal was approved with eight votes in favor and three against.
Vaccine only if mother is positive
According to the new directive, the first dose of the vaccine will be administered immediately after delivery only if the mother has tested positive for the virus. If the mother tests negative, parents are now encouraged to discuss with a health professional whether and when to vaccinate their baby.
Fears of an increase in cases
The president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Susan Kressley, strongly criticized the decision, warning that abandoning the current policy would inevitably lead to an increase in hepatitis B cases in infants and children.
The three members who voted against emphasized that there is no scientific data to support that the change will benefit children’s health. “We must do no harm. With this revision, we are putting children at risk,” said pediatrician Cody Meissner.
Hepatitis B is a virus that affects the liver and is spread mainly through blood or sexual contact. Its seriousness is great, as it can lead to cirrhosis or liver cancer.
They vote without being qualified
ACIP, the advisory committee that sets vaccine guidelines in the US, has come under fire because several of its members lack relevant expertise, and some of them have expressed doubts about the vaccines. In September it had already amended the guidelines on the Covid-19 and measles vaccines, despite the objections of many experts.
Kennedy, in July, removed the 17 independent scientists who served on the Commission and replaced them with new members, none of whom are immunologists.
The World Health Organization, for its part, still recommends immediate vaccination of all newborns against hepatitis B, followed by additional doses. The WHO warns that about 95% of infants infected at such a young age will develop a chronic form of the disease.
