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CDC Vaccine Panel Ends Universal Hepatitis B Birth-Dose Recommendation in 8–3 Vote

The advisory change now goes to the acting CDC director for a final decision that could reshape vaccine access for newborns.

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A general view of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia September 30, 2014. REUTERS/Tami Chappell/File Photo
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ATLANTA, GEORGIA - DECEMBER 4: Dr. Robert Malone speaks during a meeting of the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) at CDC Headquarters on December 4, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. The ACIP is meeting to vote on changes to the childhood vaccination schedule and delay hepatitis B shots. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)

Overview

  • For infants of mothers who test negative for hepatitis B, the panel endorsed shared clinical decision-making and suggested starting the series no earlier than two months if the birth dose is declined.
  • Recommendations to vaccinate at birth remain unchanged for babies of mothers who are hepatitis B positive or whose status is unknown.
  • The 8–3 decision followed a contentious two-day meeting with repeatedly revised wording and no new evidence presented showing harm from the birth dose.
  • The reconstituted ACIP under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. took the vote, leaving the U.S. as the only nation to reverse a universal hepatitis B birth-dose policy, according to CDC reporting cited by outlets.
  • Public health leaders and major medical societies warned the shift could lower vaccination rates and limit access because states and insurers often mirror ACIP guidance, and acting CDC director Jim O’Neill will decide whether to adopt the recommendation.