Key US Panel to Cast Ballots on Changing Newborn Hepatitis B Vaccine Recommendation
Following a postponement and a particularly heated meeting, a government vaccine expert group was scheduled to decide on Friday regarding a potential change to the long-held guideline that every infant be vaccinated against hepatitis B.
Intense Discussion and a Deferred Vote
The opening session of the meeting on Thursday was characterized by fiery discussion over restricting access to the hepatitis B vaccine for newborns and a decision to defer the vote by a day to allow panelists additional time to scrutinize the phrasing. The group, which advises the national health agency on vaccination protocols, had previously delayed on two occasions.
“Is there any definitive data of harm of giving this shot before 30 days? Or is this speculation?” questioned one panel member.
In answer, another attendee stated, “There is scant proof about the enduring danger.”
Present Protocol and Possible Consequences
The vaccine is presently advised for each baby within 24 hours of being born to prevent infection of hepatitis B, which can cause major damage to the liver. It has been provided to 1.4 billion people for over thirty years.
The meeting in Atlanta presented no new evidence of injuries resulting from the vaccine. Authorities state any change to the existing hepatitis B vaccination schedule could have significant and far-reaching consequences for childhood health in the United States.
Committee Makeup and Latest Shifts
The consultative group can only make recommendations to the leader of the CDC. The panel's membership has seen shifts recently, with the announcement that the panel's latest chairman would step down for an official role and be replaced by a cardiologist who has been questioning of other vaccines.
The panel includes a number of vaccine skeptics who align with a goal to reform – and potentially, in some cases, scrap – longstanding vaccination recommendations.
