Removing the universal hepatitis B vaccine dose for newborns would lead to more infections and deaths, according to two new studies released on April 27.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in December 2025 said it was no longer recommending that infants born to women who tested negative for hepatitis B receive a dose shortly after birth, although the agency maintained the recommended dose for all other newborns. The update is on hold under a federal judge’s recent ruling.
Researchers at Boston University School of Public Health and other U.S. institutions modeled the impact of the updated recommendation and said it would likely result in fewer vaccinations among infants born to mothers who, despite being advised to test for hepatitis B, did not….