ATLANTA — Parents and doctors will now decide together whether and when infants receive the hepatitis B vaccine under updated guidance adopted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The change applies to babies born to mothers who test negative for hepatitis B, according to the CDC. Instead of a universal birth dose, the CDC now recommends an individual-based approach, allowing families and health care providers to weigh potential risks and benefits before starting the vaccine. If the birth dose is delayed, the CDC suggests the first dose be given no earlier than two months of age.
“This recommendation reflects ACIP’s rigorous review of the available evidence,” said Acting CDC Director and Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services Jim O’Neill. “We are restoring the balance of informed consent to parents whose newborns face little risk of contracting hepatitis B.”
The CDC said discussions between parents and providers should consider potential exposure risks, including household contacts with hepatitis B or frequent contact with people from regions where the virus is more common.
The guidance does not change recommendations for all infants, CDC officials add. Babies born to mothers who test positive for hepatitis B or whose infection status is unknown should still receive the birth dose of the vaccine and immunoglobulin, according to the CDC.