ATLANTA — December 5, 2025 — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has voted 8 to 3 to shift to an individualized, parent-driven decision-making approach for administering the hepatitis B vaccine birth dose to infants born to mothers who test negative for the virus. For babies who do not receive the birth dose, the committee recommends that the first hepatitis B vaccine dose be given no earlier than two months of age.

Under what the CDC calls shared clinical decision-making , parents and healthcare providers are encouraged to weigh the benefits and risks of vaccination, taking into account the infant’s exposure risk. Factors for consideration include household members with hepatitis B or frequent contact with individu

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