ASAN Condemns Spread of Dangerous Disinformation During ACIP Meeting

In a significant shift that has alarmed public health experts, the Advisory Council on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has voted to eliminate longstanding recommendations for administering the Hepatitis B vaccine to most newborns at birth, potentially exposing thousands of infants to preventable disease risks.

During its two-day meeting this week, ACIP members recommended delaying the initial Hepatitis B vaccination by two months or more for most newborns. This decision dismantles a critical safety protocol that has protected infants for over three decades. Health authorities have long emphasized that early vaccination is essential in preventing Hepatitis B infection, which can lead to chronic liver disease and liver cancer later in life.

The council’s decision comes amid growing concerns about the scientific integrity of ACIP’s current composition and deliberations. During the same meeting, several council members reportedly promoted unfounded connections between vaccine ingredients and autism—claims that contradict the overwhelming scientific consensus established through multiple comprehensive studies over decades.

Public health advocates have expressed alarm at what they describe as a concerning trend toward undermining evidence-based vaccination policies. Critics argue that these developments reflect the influence of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has long been associated with vaccine skepticism despite scientific evidence supporting vaccine safety and efficacy.

“This represents a dangerous shift by U.S. public health officials toward pseudoscience and policies that fail to protect the most medically vulnerable people in our country,” said one public health expert who requested anonymity to speak candidly about the federal advisory committee.

The timing of this policy shift is particularly concerning to infectious disease specialists, who note that vaccination rates for common childhood illnesses have already declined in recent years. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted routine immunization schedules for many families, and misinformation about vaccines has further eroded public confidence.

Hepatitis B is transmitted through contact with blood or other body fluids from an infected person. Newborns can contract the virus during birth if the mother is infected, making early vaccination crucial. The virus can also spread through household contact, which puts infants at risk even when mothers test negative for the infection.

When left untreated, Hepatitis B infection can develop into a chronic condition in up to 90% of infected infants, compared to only about 5% of adults who contract the virus. These chronic infections substantially increase the risk of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, one of the most common types of liver cancer.

Disability rights advocates have also voiced concerns about how autism is being characterized in vaccine discussions. Organizations like the Autistic Self Advocacy Network have long maintained that autism should be recognized as a natural variation in human neurology rather than as a tragedy to be prevented.

“Vaccines do not cause autism. What vaccines do is allow autistic children to live long enough to become autistic adults,” noted one disability advocate. “Perpetuating discredited theories not only harms public health but also stigmatizes autistic individuals.”

The scientific community has repeatedly investigated and found no evidence linking vaccines to autism. Major studies, including a 2014 meta-analysis published in Vaccine that examined data from studies involving over 1.2 million children, have consistently debunked such connections.

Public health officials not affiliated with ACIP warn that the recommendation against birth-dose Hepatitis B vaccination represents a troubling departure from evidence-based medicine. They fear this could be the first of many policy changes that prioritize political considerations over scientific consensus.

As this policy change moves toward implementation, pediatricians and family physicians will face the challenge of explaining the shifting recommendations to concerned parents while still advocating for comprehensive vaccination to protect children’s health.