
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's vaccine advisory committee voted 8-3 on Friday to remove the universal recommendation for the hepatitis B vaccine at birth.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to make vaccine recommendations based on the mother's testing status.
The recommendations state that if a mother tests negative for hepatitis B, parents should decide, with the guidance of their health care provider, whether the shot is right for their newborn -- referred to as "individual-based decision-making," according to a document with the ACIP voting language.
CDC vaccine advisory committee meets to discuss hepatitis B shot, childhood immunization schedule
The vote includes that newborns who do not receive the hepatitis B birth dose get an initial dose no earlier than 2 months old.
The voting language document emphasized there is no change to the recommendation that infants born to women who test positive or have unknown status to be vaccinated.
The language document also included a footnote that parents and health care providers should consider whether the newborn faces risks, such as a hepatitis B-positive household member or frequent contact with people who have emigrated from areas where hepatitis B is common.
In a second vote, the ACIP voted 6-4, with one abstention, that parents of older children should talk to their doctor about hepatitis B antibody testing before considering subsequent hepatitis B vaccination.
The testing would determine whether an antibody threshold was achieved and should be covered by insurance.
The CDC acting director, Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill, is expected to sign off on the change.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
LATEST POSTS
- 1
A definitive Burger Confrontation: Which One Rules? - 2
World's oldest known tortoise still very much alive despite rumor to the contrary - 3
Palestinian infant freezes to death in Gaza as Israel keeps blocking aid - 4
Storm Goretti sweeps United Kingdom, France with winds over 120 mph - 5
1st results from Blue Ghost lunar lander reveal how much we still don't know about the moon
Director of Swiss hospital describes the rush to treat the injured from Alpine resort bar fire
Most loved Amusement Park Firecrackers Show: Which One Lights Up Your Evening?
The Solution to Ecological Protection: Saving Nature for People in the future
6 Web-based Course Stages for Successful Learning and Educating
Vote In favor of Your Favored Web-based Venture Stage
Why some African countries are prone to military takeovers
Paraplegic engineer becomes the first wheelchair user to blast into space
See the first close-up photos of the moon from NASA's Artemis II mission
Lilly, Novo lock horns in India's obesity drug race













