STAT+: Key federal vaccine panel debates delay to newborn hepatitis B shot, risking resurgence

Anil Oza is a general assignment reporter at STAT focused on the NIH and health equity. You can reach him on Signal at aniloza.16.

Chelsea Cirruzzo is a Washington correspondent at STAT, where she covers the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). You can reach Chelsea on Signal at chelseacirruzzo.42.

A crucial advisory committee met on Thursday to evaluate the potential change in the administration of the first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine, which is currently given at birth. There is considerable concern among experts that delaying the initial dose by at least one month for infants born to mothers who test negative for the virus could hinder progress made in reducing infant hepatitis B cases in the United States.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) decided to postpone a vote on this recommendation until Friday. The delay was attributed to a “discrepancy” regarding how the vaccine aligns with guidelines under the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program, which provides affordable vaccines for approximately half of the children in the U.S. who lack insurance or are on Medicaid. However, officials did not elaborate on how these discrepancies might be resolved, nor did they provide insight into potential solutions.