Universal hepatitis B vaccination at birth saves lives

Key takeaways:

The hepatitis B vaccine is safe and effective for preventing HBV infection in newborns.

Universal HBV vaccination is the best way to prevent chronic HBV infection, cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Universal administration of a hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth is a safe, highly effective, evidence-based practice that has saved thousands of lives by preventing chronic hepatitis B infection in newborns.

The HBV vaccine became the first anticancer vaccine to be approved by the FDA in 1981, and there is over 4 decades of research and surveillance by the CDC showing that it has a highly favorable safety profile and can be safely administered in newborns.

Newborns are particularly vulnerable to developing chronic HBV infection, which is a leading cause of liver cancer