According to a scientific review, there is no evidence that newborns benefit from delaying the hepatitis B vaccine. This directly challenges a recent push by U.S. health officials to modify the long-standing rule. The analysis reinforces current medical guidance as a critical preventive measure against a virus that poses severe risks to infants.
What Does the Scientific Review Say?
The Vaccine Integrity Project, a group founded to counter unscientific vaccine information, conducted an extensive analysis. Dr. Michael Osterholm, an infectious-disease expert involved in the review, stated clearly: “After extensive review, we did not discover safety or effectiveness data that support delaying the choice parents have to vaccinate their newborns against hepatitis B.” The project was formed in response to controversial recommendations from the Trump administration that lacked scientific backing.
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Why is the Newborn Dose So Important?
Medical experts stress that the first hours of life are a key window for protection. Hepatitis B is spread through blood and bodily fluids. An infant infected during childbirth or from an infected parent or caregiver in the first year has a 90% chance of developing a chronic, lifelong infection. This dramatically raises their future risk of severe liver cirrhosis or cancer. The vaccine given at birth acts as a crucial safety net.
What Data Supports the Current Policy?
A major 2024 study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offered strong proof. It reviewed decades of data and found that vaccinating newborns prevented about 6 million hepatitis B infections and nearly 1 million related hospitalizations. Former CDC vaccine expert Tony Fiore warned that delaying the shot would increase the chance of infection from an infected parent or caregiver, undermining this proven public health success.
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What is Causing the Current Debate?
The debate intensified after a revamped CDC advisory panel, following the dismissal of its previous expert members, postponed a vote on delaying the birth dose in September. Since then, President Donald Trump and some officials have called for postponing the first dose until as late as age 12, arguing the virus is largely sexually transmitted. The new scientific review directly contests this proposed shift, stating the evidence firmly supports the existing policy.
