Public health advisory issued during congressional hearing as a former CDC official expresses concerns over potential adjustments to the routine child immunization plan.
The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions held a hearing on Wednesday, where the topic of discussion was the potential change in the timing of the hepatitis B vaccinations. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who plans to revise the recommendation for the timing of the shots, questioned the scientific evidence supporting the current schedule of vaccinating newborns.
Kennedy's proposed change aims to delay the vaccine to a later age, such as the fourth year of life. He and his aligned experts argue that this could avoid what they see as unnecessary early vaccination if the mother is not infected. However, many medical experts warn that this could increase infection risks.
Michaela Jackson, program director of prevention policy at the Hepatitis B Foundation, emphasized the importance of capturing children and infants with the hepatitis B vaccine. She stated that a baby who is born with hepatitis B has a 90% chance of developing chronic hepatitis B.
Susan Monarez, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), testified at the hearing. Monarez, who was fired from her position in August, claimed that Kennedy made disparaging remarks about the CDC during the hearing, including accusations that CDC employees were killing children and didn't care.
In response, Andrew Nixon, a spokesperson for the Health and Human Services (HHS), stated that Monarez was "grossly distorting Secretary Kennedy's concern about the CDC's failure to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic."
During her testimony, Dr. Debra Houry, the CDC's former chief medical officer, expected the committee will recommend delaying the hepatitis B shot in children until the age of 4. Prior to her departure from the CDC, Dr. Houry hadn't seen any data to support changing the recommendation for the timing of the hepatitis B shots.
It's important to note that for more than 30 years, the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has recommended children get the first of three hepatitis B shots at birth. The hepatitis B shot is a critical childhood vaccine and is given to infants as a three-dose series.
The ACIP is meeting on Thursday and Friday to review and vote on shots for measles, Covid, and hepatitis B. Reiss, a vaccine policy expert, stated that revising the recommendation for the timing of the hepatitis B shots without ACIP's usual thorough examination is irresponsible.
A poll conducted by KFF in August found that more than half of adults in the U.S. trust health agencies and the CDC, but the percentage has dropped from 63% in September 2023 to 57% in July 2025.
At the hearing, Sen. Cassidy, a gastroenterologist, spoke in favor of the hepatitis B shot for infants. He mentioned that many mothers don't know they have hepatitis B and can unintentionally transmit it to their baby.
The change in the recommendation for the timing of the hepatitis B shots could put Kennedy under more scrutiny, especially considering Monarez's claims and the concerns of many medical experts. The outcome of the ACIP meeting will likely provide further clarity on this controversial issue.
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