A major shift in US infant vaccination policy is underway after a federal advisory committee voted to alter a recommendation that has stood for decades.
End of a Universal Birth Dose
The committee, part of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s administration, decided on Friday, 5 December 2025, to scrap the long-standing advice that all babies receive the hepatitis B vaccine right after birth. This guidance had been a cornerstone of US paediatric care for many years, aimed at preventing the liver infection from an early age.
Under the new proposal, the birth dose will now only be routinely recommended for infants whose mothers have tested positive for hepatitis B or whose maternal infection status is unknown. For all other newborns, the decision on whether to administer the vaccine at birth will be left to parents in consultation with their doctors.
New Timeline and Medical Alarm
For babies not vaccinated at birth, the committee advises that the hepatitis B immunisation course should begin from two months of age. This represents a significant departure from the previous blanket policy.
Prior to the vote, several prominent medical and doctors' groups voiced strong alarm. They argued that the concerns driving the proposed change were speculative and not firmly grounded in evidence. These professional bodies warned that the revised policy could potentially lead to an increase in childhood hepatitis B infections, undermining public health gains.
Final Decision Rests with CDC Chief
The committee's vote is not the final step. The acting director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) must now decide whether to formally accept and implement the new recommendation. This places the ultimate authority for the historic policy change in the hands of the nation's top public health official.
The move highlights the evolving and sometimes contentious landscape of vaccination policy, where decades of established practice can be re-evaluated under new governmental advisory structures.
