CDC panel postpones vote to limit Hepatitis B vaccine
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Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s vaccine advisers on Thursday postponed a vote on whether all newborns should receive the Hepatitis B vaccine, saying they needed more time and information to consider the issue.
Why it matters: The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices' deliberations during a two-day meeting have at times been marked with confusion over what members are voting on, and whether there's sufficient data.
- HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and some of his appointees have criticized the universal delivery of the Hepatitis vaccine in newborns as unnecessary.
- During discussion on Friday morning, panel members said they believed some of the data they were presented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday did not fully capture the scope of adverse events in infants.
Meanwhile, liaisons from medical groups at the event criticized the process the committee was using to consider revising national vaccine policy.
- "I think it's important for the public to know how you are going to be vetting this data to make these presentations," said Jason Goldman, liaison for the American College of Physicians.
- Earlier on Friday, the panel reversed a vote it took on Thursday that would have required the federal Vaccines for Children Program to continue paying for MMRV vaccines.
The panel appeared on the way to recommending delaying the universal Hepatitis B vaccine given to newborns until they are at least one month old, unless they are born to mothers who test positive for the disease.
- The Hepatitis B vaccine is delivered to infants to protect against both perinatal and environmental exposure to the virus, which could lead to chronic infection and lifelong complications and even death.
- Experts warn delays could result in far fewer infants receiving the vaccines and being exposed to the disease.
The panel later on Friday is expected to vote on the suitability of the latest COVID-19 boosters. However, as of 9am ET, vote language had not been publicly posted on the ACIP website.
