CDC panel changes national guidance on Hepatitis B birth vaccine

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – The CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has voted to end its recommendation that all newborns in the United States receive a Hepatitis B vaccine at birth.

The new guidance states that the vaccine should be administered immediately only to newborns whose mothers test positive or whose status is unknown.

During the vote, a panel member announced, “The motion passes,” marking the official change in the recommendation.

Some members of the advisory committee expressed concern about the history of the recommendation.

Retsef Levi, a member of the committee, said, “We have been presenting vaccines to parents as completely safe, even in cases where they have not been adequately tested.”

However, others in the vaccine development field disagree with the change.

David Dodd, CEO of GeoVax and a U.S. vaccine developer, says the previous recommendation has prevented thousands of cases of Hepatitis B in infants.

“We used to see about twenty thousand infants a year born with Hepatitis B, and now it is about twenty. Since the implementation of these recommendations in 1991, it has been without a doubt a tremendous success.”

News 12 asked whether his position is influenced by his career.

Dodd responded that there is a personal element to his stance.

“I am not going to be viewed as totally objective, but I am a father of four daughters and a grandfather. They followed the recommended vaccine schedule, and for me this is about long-term health, not business.”

Dodd says he believes the change may be intended to create space for parents to be more directly involved in medical decisions.

“It is likely less about a specific safety issue and more about giving families the opportunity to speak with medical providers and decide whether they want to continue with the long-standing vaccination guidelines.”

The CDC says it will continue to monitor data as the new recommendation goes into effect.