Hepatitis B Foundation Reaffirms That Hepatitis B Vaccination Remains Vital for Saving Lives. Please read more here.

Hepatitis B Foundation Reaffirms That Hepatitis B Vaccination Remains Vital for Saving Lives

The Hepatitis B Foundation issues a statement in response to the ACIP's decision to remove the universal hepatitis B birth dose recommendation

Dec. 5, 2025

The Hepatitis B Foundation is deeply dismayed and extremely concerned about the consequences of today’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP) vote on infant hepatitis B vaccination. Removing the recommendation for universal hepatitis B birth dose and suggesting fewer doses of the vaccine will undoubtedly lead to more hepatitis B infections, more liver cancer cases, and more hepatitis-B related deaths in the United States – all of which are preventable.  

There is strong data to support that the universal birth dose, followed by full completion of the 3-dose vaccine, is the best way to prevent infection and save lives. There is no data or rationale to support delaying the hepatitis B vaccine or providing fewer than three doses. These recommended changes will have a cascade effect that will cause confusion among parents and providers, and leave the next generation unprotected from this cancer-causing virus. 

For more than forty years, the hepatitis B vaccine has been thoroughly studied and consistently proven to prevent hepatitis B and liver cancer for infants, children and adults. In the sheer number of lives saved, the vaccine has been one of the greatest public health achievements in the past 100 years. 

All parents deserve the ability to make decisions about their child's health with clarity, consistency, and recommendations grounded in the most rigorous scientific evidence possible. Any deviation from those standards creates unnecessary confusion at the very moment families need certainty the most. Preventing diseases requires public trust, and public trust in vaccination starts with transparent, evidence-based guidance. 

We urge all providers to continue to educate parents on the importance of the hepatitis B birth dose and the full 3-dose vaccine series for all babies born in the U.S. The Foundation calls for the continued use of objective, science-based recommendations that include the universal hepatitis B vaccination and timely, full completion of the three dose vaccine series.
   

The Hepatitis B Foundation remains a source of fact-based information and will continue to work toward ensuring that every baby, child and adult has access to this lifesaving vaccine.