Study: CDC’s vaccine committee recommendations would increase hep B rates, deaths

Eliminating the universal dose of the hepatitis B vaccine at birth would result in preventable hepatitis B virus infections, liver cancers, deaths and increase healthcare costs by millions, conclude two modeling studies published in JAMA Pediatrics. The authors conducted the studies following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccine committee change to a longstanding recommendation for a universal hepatitis B vaccination dose for newborns to a recommendation for shared decision-making for this vaccination. The American Academy of Pediatrics and other professional organizations still recommend the universal birth dose, and a judge temporarily blocked the new recommendation. A JAMA editorial says the committee recommendation will negatively affect infant and children’s health and increase healthcare costs. (MedPage Today article, 4/27/26)