ACIP's Radical Shift on Hepatitis B Vaccination: A Threat to Public Health
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a crucial body in shaping US vaccination policies, has taken a drastic turn, gutting the long-standing recommendation for universal hepatitis B vaccination at birth. The move is expected to be carried out by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the current Secretary of Health and Human Services.
The committee voted 8-3 to overhaul its recommendation on the vaccine's dosing schedule, embracing an individual-based approach that allows parents to decide when their child should receive the first shot. Critics have lambasted this decision as a step into uncharted territory, citing the lack of credible data to justify it.
"This review found no benefit related to vaccine safety or protection of a delayed first dose compared with vaccination at birth, but identified critical risks of changing current U.S. recommendations," said a report from the Vaccine Integrity Project, which opposed this move prior to its announcement.
The ACIP's new approach has significant implications for public health, particularly in preventing hepatitis B infections in newborns. According to experts, 90% of childhood infections will become chronic, and about a quarter may lead to life-threatening conditions like cirrhosis and liver cancer.
"This review found no benefit related to vaccine safety or protection of a delayed first dose compared with vaccination at birth, but identified critical risks of changing current U.S. recommendations," said a report from the Vaccine Integrity Project
The ACIP's decision also has the potential to increase the risk of infections among vulnerable populations, including children born to mothers who are hepatitis B-positive.
Many groups and experts have voiced their opposition to this radical shift in vaccination policy, emphasizing that there is no scientific basis for altering the long-standing dosing schedule recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
"This review found no benefit related to vaccine safety or protection of a delayed first dose compared with vaccination at birth, but identified critical risks of changing current U.S. recommendations," said a report from the Vaccine Integrity Project.
The ACIP's new approach is seen as part of a larger trend in which Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his allies are attempting to dismantle long-standing vaccine policies.
Critics have warned that this decision could lead to increased infections, increased healthcare costs, and untold harm to vulnerable populations, including children born with hepatitis B.
The decision has sparked outrage among many medical professionals and public health organizations, which still endorse the traditional dosing schedule for hepatitis B vaccination.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a crucial body in shaping US vaccination policies, has taken a drastic turn, gutting the long-standing recommendation for universal hepatitis B vaccination at birth. The move is expected to be carried out by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the current Secretary of Health and Human Services.
The committee voted 8-3 to overhaul its recommendation on the vaccine's dosing schedule, embracing an individual-based approach that allows parents to decide when their child should receive the first shot. Critics have lambasted this decision as a step into uncharted territory, citing the lack of credible data to justify it.
"This review found no benefit related to vaccine safety or protection of a delayed first dose compared with vaccination at birth, but identified critical risks of changing current U.S. recommendations," said a report from the Vaccine Integrity Project, which opposed this move prior to its announcement.
The ACIP's new approach has significant implications for public health, particularly in preventing hepatitis B infections in newborns. According to experts, 90% of childhood infections will become chronic, and about a quarter may lead to life-threatening conditions like cirrhosis and liver cancer.
"This review found no benefit related to vaccine safety or protection of a delayed first dose compared with vaccination at birth, but identified critical risks of changing current U.S. recommendations," said a report from the Vaccine Integrity Project
The ACIP's decision also has the potential to increase the risk of infections among vulnerable populations, including children born to mothers who are hepatitis B-positive.
Many groups and experts have voiced their opposition to this radical shift in vaccination policy, emphasizing that there is no scientific basis for altering the long-standing dosing schedule recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
"This review found no benefit related to vaccine safety or protection of a delayed first dose compared with vaccination at birth, but identified critical risks of changing current U.S. recommendations," said a report from the Vaccine Integrity Project.
The ACIP's new approach is seen as part of a larger trend in which Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his allies are attempting to dismantle long-standing vaccine policies.
Critics have warned that this decision could lead to increased infections, increased healthcare costs, and untold harm to vulnerable populations, including children born with hepatitis B.
The decision has sparked outrage among many medical professionals and public health organizations, which still endorse the traditional dosing schedule for hepatitis B vaccination.
. The ACIP's radical shift on hepatitis B vaccination is a huge gamble with public health 
. Delaying the first dose could lead to increased infections among vulnerable populations, including newborns and children born to mothers with hepatitis B 
. I mean, we're talking about 90% of childhood infections becoming chronic and potentially life-threatening conditions like cirrhosis and liver cancer 
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. The Vaccine Integrity Project's report highlights the critical risks of changing current U.S. recommendations, which is a red flag for me 
. We can't afford to undermine the tried and tested dosing schedule recommended by the CDC 
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And now we're gonna let parents decide when to vaccinate their kids? That sounds like a recipe for disaster to me 
I'm all for giving parents some freedom, but this is public health we're talking about here, not just some individual choice 
. And what about the kids who can't talk for themselves, like newborns and toddlers? Who's gonna protect them from getting sick? 
90% of childhood infections will become chronic lol what kind of risk do they think is worth taking? 
meanwhile, vaccine integrity project found no benefit in delaying vaccination at birth but idk if that's gonna stop the radical shift 
anyway, 80s kids like me are still good for the whole hep b thing, we got vaccinated back in the day and it worked 
and then there's the risk of cirrhosis and liver cancer... that's like, totally terrifying 
i just hope ppl start speaking up against this radical shift in vaccine policy 
we need to make sure our kids are safe from these kinds of risks 
and putting vulnerable populations at risk. 
. If we delay the first shot, it could lead to more cases of chronic and life-threatening infections like cirrhosis and liver cancer 
. And what really worries me is that this decision might be driven by politics rather than science 
. As someone who cares about public health, I just can't see how allowing parents to decide when their child should get vaccinated could be a good thing for the country's overall health 
, what do we know about the risks and benefits of delayed vaccination? The Vaccine Integrity Project report highlights some concerns, but there needs to be more research done 
. And what about vulnerable populations like children born to hepatitis B-positive mothers? They're already at risk – should we be adding to that risk? 
I think it's better to stick with the tried and tested approach that has worked for so long.
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HOW CAN WE BE SURE THIS NEW APPROACH WON'T PUT MORE PEOPLE AT RISK PARTICULARLY THOSE BORN TO HEPATITIS B POSITIVE MOTHERS!!!! 
we need to stick with what's proven to work and keep our community safe 
. This ACIP's radical shift on Hepatitis B Vaccination is a total red flag. I mean, 90% of childhood infections will become chronic? That's just a recipe for disaster! And now they're gonna let parents decide when their kid should get vaccinated? What's the real motive here? Are they trying to create a new market for hepatitis B medication or something? 
. I'm not saying he's necessarily lying, but you can bet your bottom dollar there's more to the story than meets the eye.
. Mark my words, this is just the beginning of a slippery slope towards vaccine hesitancy and chaos 
. We need to stay vigilant and not let our guard down for even a second 
.
. I mean, what's next? Changing the recommended dosage for COVID vaccines too? 
. This move is driven by ideology, not science 
. I'm all for listening to parents and experts, but we can't just throw caution to the wind when it comes to our public health