In a historic vote from the CDC advisory panel on immunizations, the committee reversed a more than three decade old guidance for universal hepatitis B vaccination for newborns. The panel will now only recommend the shot for babies born to mothers who test positive for the hepatitis B virus.
President Trump also lauded the decision, and wrote on Truth Social, “Today, the CDC Vaccine Committee made a very good decision to END their Hepatitis B Vaccine Recommendation for babies, the vast majority of whom are at NO RISK of Hepatitis B, a disease that is mostly transmitted sexually, or through dirty needles. The American Childhood Vaccine Schedule long required 72 ‘jabs,’ for perfectly healthy babies, far more than any other Country in the World, and far more than is necessary. In fact, it is ridiculous! Many parents and scientists have been questioning the efficacy of this ‘schedule’, as have I! That is why I have just signed a Presidential Memorandum directing the Department of Health and Human Services to ‘FAST TRACK’ a comprehensive evaluation of Vaccine Schedules from other Countries around the World, and better align the U.S. Vaccine Schedule, so it is finally rooted in the Gold Standard of Science and COMMON SENSE! I am fully confident Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and the CDC, will get this done, quickly and correctly, for our Nation’s Children. Thank you for your attention to this matter. MAHA!”
President Trump states the vast majority of babies are at no risk for hepatitis B. Although the virus is most commonly spread through sexual intercourse and the sharing of needles, this is not the only way the virus can be transmitted. In fact, all unvaccinated babies have some risk of contracting the virus throughout their childhood and lifetime because the virus can be spread even by sharing regular items such as toothbrushes and razors from infected people. This does not equate to zero risk, and means that unvaccinated children will be at risk of acquiring a disease that can cause liver failure, liver cancer and ultimately death. Vaccination is critical since nearly half of individuals who have the virus do not know they are infected, making it easy to transmit the virus to unvaccinated individuals, according to the CDC.
The President also claimed that the American childhood vaccine schedule required 72 shots, which is in fact not accurate. Kids and teenagers who abide by the CDC recommended schedule get about 30 shots from birth to 18 years of age, excluding annual COVID-19 and flu shots, according to ABC news.
President Trump goes on to question the efficacy of the vaccination schedule. For hepatitis B, the vaccine has led to the near elimination of the virus in children. Since 1991, when universal vaccination was recommended by the CDC, infections in children and adolescents have decreased by 99%. The birthing dose is 90% effective at preventing infection transmitted from a mother that tests positive with hepatitis B, and children that complete the three dose regimen in childhood achieve 98% protection against the virus, according to Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.
President Trump also suggested in his Truth Social post that the U.S. vaccine schedule may not be aligned with those of other countries in the world and called to evaluate our schedule. The United States, in fact, is not an outlier in having recommended a universal birthing dose for hepatitis B for over three decades. As of 2024, 115 of 194 WHO member states recommend a universal hepatitis B birthing dose, according to the World Health Organization.
Misinformation, particularly from the President of the United States, could have devastating consequences for public health. Through this type of discourse, parents may fear that getting a birthing dose of hepatitis B could harm their children. It also has the potential to sow distrust in public health and science, as well as expedite a resurgence of an infectious disease that is easily preventable with vaccination.