RFK Jr. is wrong. The hepatitis B vaccine saves lives, says pediatrician | Opinion
As a pediatrician, I normally look forward to newborn visits — they mark the beginning of a meaningful relationship with families. But lately, I hear the same phrase several times a day: “No thank you, we don’t want the hepatitis B vaccine.”
I find myself defending the importance of lifesaving vaccines.
Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to overturn long-standing guidance on hepatitis B vaccines for infants. ACIP voted last week to base recommendations on maternal hepatitis B status and delay vaccines for infants of hepatitis B–negative mothers until infants are at least two months old.
Now, I have begun to notice a decrease in the number of newborns receiving this vaccine at birth in my practice. This is concerning: When consulting our infectious diseases physicians, they share that up to 18% of mothers are never tested for hepatitis B, which means that standardizing giving this vaccine to all newborns alleviates our dependence on maternal testing.
In addition, it has been scientifically shown there is no safety, efficacy or long-term benefit to delaying the vaccine. In fact, there is harm in delaying because it creates a gap in early immune protection which increases the risk of newborn mortality.
U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. questions the universal practice of vaccinating our newborns, claiming that the hepatitis B vaccine increases the risk of autism. Let me be direct: there is zero credible evidence linking the hepatitis B vaccine — or any vaccine — to autism.
The “study” Kennedy referred to when making this erroneous claim was mis-interpreted and never made it to publication because of its poor design and validity. This scare tactic has been used for decades without any substantiative evidence, and multiple large studies involving over 1 million children have refuted any link between vaccines and autism. The most common symptoms children experience after the hepatitis B vaccine — if any — are fevers or pain at the site of injection.
As a pediatrician, I have spent my career dedicated to understanding science and medicine. What makes ACIP’s recent vote so alarming is that Kennedy and his appointed committee have taken drastic steps to reshape vaccine policy in the wrong direction.
ACIP has historically been composed of experienced scientific professionals who create immunization schedules necessary to provide protection for your children. The committee oversees not only assessing vaccine benefits, but also the risk, harm and necessity of the vaccines they suggest. Kennedy, who is known to have a history of anti-vaccine activisms, abruptly fired the old ACIP committee and put in eight new members who are unfit for this role.
Parents may ask if the hepatitis B vaccine at birth is necessary if mothers are hepatitis B negative. While this group may be at lower risk, there are other exposures to the virus during the newborn period. The good news is that the hepatitis B vaccine is extremely effective at preventing transmission. After completing the full vaccine series, 98% of healthy infants achieve full immunity to hepatitis B.
However, if a newborn contracts hepatitis B by age one, there is a 90% chance of developing chronic infection, and 25% of those children will die eventually from the disease. Why take this risk?
Sowing fear among parents who are trying to do the best thing for their child is not the answer to making America healthy again. By casting doubt and sharing false information about life-saving vaccines, our country’s leadership is putting children’s lives at risk.
Doctors and patients are on the same team, and we ask you to trust the science and protect your newborn with the hepatitis B vaccine.
Dr. Anjali Doshi is a physician specializing in pediatrics with a masters in public health. She is passionate about medical education and spreading awareness to her patients in the local community.