ACIP Votes Against Universal Birth-Dose of Hep B Vaccine
by ACOI
December 18, 2025
On December 5, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to drop the recommendation for a universal birth hepatitis B vaccine dose and replaced it with a recommendation that the first hepatitis B vaccine should be delayed until two months of age for infants born to mothers who test negative for the virus.
Under the recommendations, only infants born to mothers who test positive for hepatitis B or whose status is unknown would still receive the birth dose. Additionally, ACIP voted that subsequent vaccine doses should be evaluated after anti-HBs serology testing, moving away from a recommendation for the full three-dose series.
ACOI members can make their voices heard on this important public health issue by posting on social media with a request to Health and Human Services Secretary Kennedy, Acting CDC Director Jim O’Neil, and members of Congress about the importance of maintaining the universal hepatitis B birth dose. Taking action is quick and easy through the ACOI Action Center.
In related news, on December 5, President Trump signed a memorandum to begin the process to align U.S. core childhood vaccine recommendations with “best practices from peer, developed countries.”