The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has recently recommended discontinuing the routine vaccination of newborns against Hepatitis B. This decision, according to critics, is based not on new scientific evidence but on political influence.
Dr. Cody Meissner, a professor of pediatrics at Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine and one of the committee members, stated that there were no scientific grounds for removing the vaccine from newborns’ schedules. He warned that this recommendation could lead to more infections among children and adults alike.
The panel’s vote was criticized by public health experts as undermining decades of progress in preventing hepatitis B transmission. Dr. Noele Nelson, a noted expert at Cornell, emphasized that the decision disregards scientific evidence and risks eroding vaccine confidence.
This change comes after Secretary Robert F. Kennedy removed all previous committee members to install those aligned with anti-vaccination views, ensuring no opposition votes remained. The recommendation was allegedly made in exchange for Senator Bill Cassidy’s support during confirmation hearings.
The move raises concerns about the erosion of trust in scientific public health measures and questions regarding insurance coverage for antibody tests proposed as a replacement measure. Critics argue that this represents an unprecedented shift from evidence-based medicine to political influence, potentially endangering children due to unfounded claims by a figure known for anti-vaccination advocacy.
