The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday ended its long-standing recommendation for universal hepatitis B vaccination for all newborns. The updated guidance shifts the decision to parents, in consultation with healthcare providers, for infants born to hepatitis B-negative mothers.
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Under the new policy, only newborns whose mothers test positive for hepatitis B or whose infection status is unknown are recommended to receive the vaccine at birth. The change follows a recommendation by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s vaccine advisory panel, which the CDC approved earlier this month.
If parents decide against vaccinating their child at birth but later opt for immunization, the CDC now advises waiting at least two months before administering the first dose. Previously, the first of three doses was routinely given shortly after birth.
The USA ranks 37th in FIRST DAY INFANT DEATHS…
One ABOVE NIGERIA and one BELOW BOLIVIA👇👇👇 https://t.co/hTLKV314Nu— Rob Schneider 🇺🇸 (@RobSchneider) December 17, 2025
Since 1991, US health authorities have endorsed universal infant vaccination against hepatitis B. That policy has been credited with significantly reducing infections across the country.
The CDC’s recommendations influence health insurance coverage and guide physicians in determining appropriate vaccination schedules. Experts warn that moving to an individual-based decision model could weaken protections against the virus.
🚨BREAKING: CDC ends routine Hep B shots for newborns—restoring informed consent and common sense.
👏A major step toward evidence-based, risk-aware public health.
Deeper context here: https://t.co/53BlqajRDA
Respect to @HHS_Jim , @SecKennedy & @realDonaldTrump for putting… pic.twitter.com/XXLPJAucUU
— Sayer Ji (@sayerjigmi) December 17, 2025
Public health specialists have raised concerns that the absence of a firm federal recommendation may lead more families to opt out of vaccination. They argue this could increase the risk of exposure to hepatitis B, particularly through close contact with undiagnosed carriers.
Dr Emily Landon, an infectious disease expert at the University of Chicago Medicine, criticized the decision. She said the new guidance disregards decades of scientific evidence supporting early vaccination.
Hepatitis B can cause severe liver disease and is transmitted through blood, semen, and other bodily fluids. It can also spread through close personal contact with individuals who are unaware they are infected.
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In the US, hepatitis B infections have declined by nearly 90 percent since widespread vaccination began, dropping from 9.6 cases per 100,000 people to about one per 100,000 in 2018. The CDC said it is reviewing an additional recommendation on antibody testing to guide future vaccine doses.