Key US Panel to Vote on Changing Infant Hepatitis B Vaccine Recommendation
Following a hold-up and a particularly heated session, a government vaccine expert group was set to cast ballots on Friday on whether to change the longstanding recommendation that each baby be immunized against hepatitis B.
Fiery Exchange and a Delayed Ballot
The initial day of the conference on Thursday was marked by intense argument over restricting access to the hepatitis B vaccine for infants and a choice to defer the vote by a day to allow panelists additional time to examine the language. The group, which counsels the national health agency on vaccination protocols, had put off the vote twice in the past.
“Is there any specific evidence of harm of giving this shot before 30 days? Or is this speculation?” asked one panel member.
In reply, another participant stated, “There is scant proof about the prolonged hazard.”
Existing Recommendations and Possible Consequences
The vaccine is presently advised for every newborn within 24 hours of delivery to halt contraction of hepatitis B, which can lead to significant hepatic injury. It has been given to 1.4 billion people for more than three decades.
The meeting in Atlanta offered no new evidence of damage attributable to the vaccine. Experts say any change to the existing hepatitis B immunization timeline could have significant and far-reaching implications for pediatric well-being in the United States.
Committee Makeup and Recent Changes
The consultative group can only make recommendations to the director of the CDC. The committee's composition has seen shifts recently, with the statement that the panel's latest chairman would depart for an formal position and be replaced by a heart specialist who has been critical of other vaccines.
The committee includes a number of vaccination critics who are in agreement with a aim to revamp – and possibly, in some cases, scrap – longstanding vaccine advisories.
