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The Australasian College for Infection Prevention and Control (ACIPC) is concerned about the recent changes implemented by the U.S Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) to restructure their hepatitis B vaccination schedule for babies and to therefore cease the hepatitis B vaccination routinely given at birth for all newborns
Vaccination policy must be guided by rigorous evidence, professional expertise, and an unwavering commitment to safeguarding neonates, parents and communities. This decision by ACIP represents a deliberate weakening of evidence-based public health practice and has the potential to increase hepatitis B infections in children without the newborn dose being administered.
The evidence supporting birth dose of hepatitis B vaccination is overwhelming and is endorsed by medical experts worldwide. The apparent politicisation of immunisation schedules in the US risks reversing decades of progress in disease prevention and control based on rigorous scientific evidence.
There is clear evidence showing that more than 90% of infants who contract hepatitis B at or around birth will go on to develop chronic hepatitis B. Of those, roughly one in four face a premature death from liver disease or liver cancer.
Strong, independent and scientifically informed public health systems are essential to protect communities, maintain healthcare resilience, and safeguard future generations.
ACIPC urges policymakers in Australia and internationally to prioritise evidence-based practice with regards to vaccination and to actively counter misinformation that potentially can endangers lives.