Vaccine Advisory Shakeup: Kennedy's Influence on Hepatitis B Policy

The CDC's vaccine advisory committee, now led by members appointed by vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr., will meet to discuss the hepatitis B vaccine policy, including safety and the immunization schedule. The group will vote on delaying the first dose, reflecting Kennedy's significant influence on U.S. vaccination strategies.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's vaccine advisory committee, newly composed with members appointed by vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is set to convene on December 4 and 5 to deliberate on hepatitis B vaccine policies. This follows Kennedy's rapid shakeup of the country's vaccination approach, including changes to recommendations for COVID-19 shots.

A Federal Register notice revealed that the agenda would cover vaccine safety, childhood and adolescent immunization schedules, and hepatitis B immunization guidelines. The committee, which previously decided against voting at its September meeting, is now expected to decide on whether to delay the first hepatitis B vaccine dose for certain infants.

The proposed policy change could delay the first dose for children whose mothers test negative for hepatitis B until the children are at least one month old. However, a more extreme suggestion is to postpone vaccination until the age of 12. With Kennedy's appointments, the vaccine advisory body is under pressure to align with the new directives.

(With inputs from agencies.)