Major US Advisory Committee to Cast Ballots on Modifying Infant Hepatitis B Vaccine Advisory
Following a hold-up and an unusually contentious meeting, a national immunization advisory committee was set to cast ballots on Friday concerning altering the longstanding recommendation that each baby be inoculated against hepatitis B.
Intense Discussion and a Deferred Vote
The initial day of the assembly on Thursday was defined by intense argument over curbing eligibility to the hepatitis B vaccine for newborns and a choice to delay the ballot by a day to allow panelists additional time to examine the language. The committee, which advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccination protocols, had previously delayed on two occasions.
“Is there any definitive data of harm of giving this vaccination before 30 days? Or is this conjecture?” asked one adviser.
In answer, another attendee stated, “There is limited evidence about the long-term risk.”
Existing Recommendations and Potential Impact
The shot is presently advised for all infants within 24 hours of being born to stop transmission of hepatitis B, which can lead to major damage to the liver. It has been given to 1.4 billion people for in excess of thirty years.
The meeting in Atlanta provided no new evidence of damage attributable to the vaccine. Experts say any modification to the existing hepatitis B vaccine regimen could have significant and far-reaching repercussions for childhood health in the United States.
Panel Composition and New Appointments
The consultative group can only offer guidance to the leader of the CDC. The panel's membership has seen shifts in recent days, with the announcement that the committee’s most recent chair would depart for an official role and be succeeded by a heart specialist who has been skeptical about other inoculations.
The committee includes multiple vaccination critics who align with a aim to revamp – and potentially, in some cases, abolish – traditional vaccination recommendations.
