Study: HHS vaccine schedule change could result in spike in hepatitis B infections

Changes to HHS's recommended childhood vaccine schedule could lead to a spike in hepatitis cases, a new study found (Source: “Delaying hepatitis B shot may raise infection risk by 83%,” HealthLine, Oct. 21).
 
In December 2025, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ended its recommendation for universal hepatitis B vaccination at birth for infants whose mothers test negative for the virus. Instead, the federal health agency recommends individual-based clinical decision-making.
 
In making its decision, HHS concluded that newborns “face little risk of contracting hepatitis,” deeming the vaccine, typically administered at birth, unnecessary.
 
The modeling study, which was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, projected that delaying the first vaccine dose until 2 months could increase chronic hepatitis B infections among infants by 19% under one scenario. With shared decision-making and lower vaccine uptake, projected increases ranged from 83% to 225%, compared with universal birth-dose vaccination.