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ACIP Votes to End Universal Hepatitis B Birth Dose

12/6/2025

Summary

Story summary

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted 8-3 to end universal birth-dose hepatitis B vaccination, a major policy shift.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. shaped the decision, allowing parents of infants born to hepatitis B-negative mothers to discuss vaccination timing with providers.
Critics, including Senator Bill Cassidy, say the change could raise infections, while public health experts warn it could erode vaccine trust and disproportionately affect low-income families.

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Story summary

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted 8-3 to end universal birth-dose hepatitis B vaccination, a major policy shift.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. shaped the decision, allowing parents of infants born to hepatitis B-negative mothers to discuss vaccination timing with providers.
Critics, including Senator Bill Cassidy, say the change could raise infections, while public health experts warn it could erode vaccine trust and disproportionately affect low-income families.