A long-standing recommendation for hepatitis B (HBV) vaccinations at birth has been voted out by a US panel of vaccine advisers. "individual-based decision-making" on whether to vaccinate babies born to mothers who have tested negative for the liver infection was supported by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (Acip) 8-3. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vaccine skeptic, fired all Acip members in June and brought in others who oppose vaccines. Since 1991, the United States has vaccinated newborns against hepatitis B. According to data, the shots have prevented an estimated 90,000 deaths.
 |
| Members of the Acip heard many concerns from doctors about moving back the hepatitis B vaccine for infants. Image Credit: Getty Image/bbc |
The Acip is in charge of advising the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on who and when to vaccinate. The recommendation receives final approval from the CDC acting director. A number of group members opposed the new guidance's recommendation that infants who do not receive a birth dose of the vaccine should receive their first dose "no earlier than two months of age." Experts in public health are concerned that the vote may stoke unfounded safety concerns regarding the vaccine and encourage some individuals to opt out, resulting in an increase in illness. Several Acip panel members shared this concern. Dr. Cody Meissner stated, "The hepatitis B vaccine recommendation is very well established," prior to casting a negative vote. We are aware that it is safe and very effective. We will also see an increase in the number of people who have hepatitis B as a result of the proposed changes." The panel keeps recommending that the vaccine be given to babies born to mothers who have tested positive for hepatitis B. Insurance coverage for the shot is not expected to be affected by the move. Hepatitis B is a liver infection that spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids and can cause cancer, liver failure, and cirrhosis, all of which are dangerous liver conditions. Hepatitis B-infected pregnant women may also transmit the virus to their unborn children during delivery, resulting in persistent infections that can harm the liver. Because HBV infected individuals do not always exhibit symptoms, they may not even be aware that they are infected and may spread the virus while caring for young children.
The Acip's decision to twice postpone a vote on the hepatitis B shots led to the tense two-day meeting that resulted in Friday's decision. On Friday, a number of panel members voiced their disapproval of the new guidelines, particularly the requirement that shots be administered no earlier than two months of age. Dr. Joseph Hibbeln described the options for voting as "incredibly problematic," and Dr. Meissner stated that members were acting on "baseless scepticism." Retsef Levi, a member of the committee who supported the change, stated that the US hepatitis B vaccine policy was "misaligned" with other nations. The World Health Organization advises immunization against HBV at six months, one, and zero months of age. Unless a mother has tested positive for the virus, vaccines are recommended at eight, twelve, and sixteen weeks of age in the United Kingdom. The committee heard from a number of doctors over the course of several hours on Thursday and Friday, many of whom voiced their disapproval of the panel's consideration of ending universal vaccination recommendations. The new recommendations were supported by committee members who argued that vaccines should be tailored to each patient and that the risk of contracting the virus was low. It has been argued by opponents of the birth dose that infants should only be vaccinated if their mothers test positive for the virus. But doctors say this leaves some babies at risk, because not all pregnant people have reliable access to testing, while others could receive a false negative test for hepatitis B.
The safety of the hepatitis B vaccine has been questioned by Kennedy and his allies, who have argued that sexual contact and sharing needles are the main ways it is spread. However, research has demonstrated that it can also spread through indirect contact, such as sharing razors and toothbrushes. Kennedy has altered US vaccine policy a number of times since taking office. Republican Senator Bill Cassidy, a physician who cast the decisive vote in confirming Kennedy as health secretary despite concerns regarding his previous vaccine stances, was enraged by the Acip's decision to revisit the vaccine recommendations. In a statement, Cassidy stated, "As a liver doctor who has treated patients with hepatitis B for decades, this change to the vaccine schedule is a mistake." "The vaccine against hepatitis B is safe and effective. The birth dose is a suggestion, not a requirement.
Source: BBC News
Posts
0 Comments