Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Meeting

At the December 2025 ACIP meeting, the CDC's vaccine advisory panel voted to change long-standing guidance, recommending the hepatitis B vaccine at birth only for infants born to HBsAg-positive or unknown-status mothers.

This change in vaccine policy, if approved by the CDC's acting director, will reverse a universal recommendation to start hepatitis B immunization at birth, a standard practice in the U.S. for more than 30 years that has been credited with dramatically lowering liver diseases caused by the virus.

Since 1991, the recommendation to administer a hepatitis B vaccine at birth has been key protecting the health of millions of children. It dramatically reduced childhood transmission, cutting pediatric cases by 99%, and preventing children from severe liver complications and death.

During the two-day meeting, The Evidence Collective was fact-checking statements by presenters in real time. After identifying more than 30 falsehoods on Day 1 of the meeting, the team "lost count after 60 falsehoods" on Day 2. Here is the final debunk report. For more information about the inaccurate statements made during the ACIP meeting, read Factcheck.org here.

Health organizations have condemned the ACIP's December 2025 vote to weaken the Hepatitis B birth-dose recommendation, calling it "reckless, unscientific, and harmful," with many leaders from groups like the AMA, NMA, AAP, and Infectious Diseases Society of America stating the decision ignores decades of proven success and puts infants at risk.

Read IPHA's full briefing report including resources and statements from health organizations here.

If you have questions or need additional information, please contact Conny Moody, IPHA Government Relations & Compliance, at [email protected] or email [email protected].

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