CDC drops hepatitis B shot recommendation for some infants

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention late Tuesday formally dropped the decades-old federal recommendation that all infants receive the hepatitis B vaccine at birth.Why it matters: The widely anticipated move marks the Trump administration's first major change to the U.S. childhood vaccination schedule and turns one of vaccine critics' top priorities into official government policy.The move was telegraphed earlier this month when Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s handpicked vaccine advisers recommended the change.Driving the news: The CDC said acting director Jim O'Neill approved updating the immunization schedule to reflect the vaccine advisers' primary recommendation.Under the guidance, mothers who test negative for hepatitis can get their infants vaccinated after at least two months of age after consulting with doctors. Mothers testing positive would continue to be recommended to have their infants vaccinated within 24 hours of birth.The agency said it's still reviewing a separate recommendation from the panel that parents consult with a health care provider on blood testing for antibodies to determine whether further vaccine doses are needed. The vaccine is typically given to infants in a three-dose series.What they're saying: "We are restoring the balance of informed consent to parents whose newborns face little risk of contracting hepatitis B," O'Neill said in a statement.Leading public health groups and medical associations have assailed the policy changes, saying will make it harder for parents who chose to vaccinate to access care in a timely way.They also criticized the vaccine advisers for ignoring substantial evidence showing the hepatitis B vaccines are safe and effective. "Rolling back this recommendation creates confusion and doubt about vaccines, reverses hard-won progress in preventing hepatitis B and will undoubtedly result in completely preventable illness and death," American Medical Association trustee Sandra Adamson Fryhofer said in a statement.