A federal vaccine committee in the US has voted to end a decades-long recommendation that all newborns be immunised at birth against hepatitis B, the highly infectious virus that can cause severe liver damage, reports The New York Times.
However, the divisiveness and dysfunction of the committee in making the decision has raised questions about the reliability of the advisory process and left at least one critic “very concerned about the future” of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The Advisory Committee on Immunisation Practices voted eight to three that women who test negative for hepatitis B should consult their healthcare provider and decide “when or if” their child should be vaccinated against the virus at birth.
The committee did not change the recommendation that newborns of mothers known to be infected or whose status is unknown be immunised.
In a move toward Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr’s goal of upending vaccine policy, the committee recommended delaying the shots for infants whose mothers test negative for the virus.
The new recommendations will become official CDC guidance once Jim O’Neill, the agency’s acting director, accepts them.
In Britain, all babies get the hepatitis B vaccine, which has a well-established safety record and ensures long-term protection against the virus, says Dr Alison Cave, Chief Safety Officer at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
“Patient safety is our top priority, which is why all vaccines authorised for use undergo rigorous assessment for safety, quality and effectiveness. The UK has been providing universal hepatitis B vaccination for all babies since August 2017. Additionally, all pregnant women are routinely tested for hepatitis B during the very early stages of pregnancy.”
Any babies born to mothers who are found to be infected, and who are considered to be at high-risk of contracting the virus, are vaccinated within 24 hours of birth, she added.
All other babies will be routinely vaccinated from eight weeks of age.
“Extensive safety monitoring in Britain and internationally continues to show that the benefits of these vaccinations outweigh any risks,” Cave added.
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