Sen. Bill Cassidy, a physician and Republican leader in health care, criticized the Health and Human Services Department, led by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., for reconsidering the hepatitis B vaccine’s birth dose as part of a childhood vaccine schedule review. The CDC’s advisory panel is debating whether to recommend administering the vaccine at an older age, a move supported by Kennedy and President Trump.
Cassidy denounced the initiative, accusing HHS of having a “prejudice against science,” while he defended the vaccine’s effectiveness and safety for infants. He noted that since the introduction of the birth dose in 1991, hepatitis B transmissions at birth have drastically decreased, warning that reversing the recommendation could lead to a resurgence.
Opinions among other Republican senators vary. Sen. Roger Marshall expressed concerns about administering the vaccine to newborns, advocating for parental discussions on its pros and cons. In contrast, Sen. Rand Paul argued against its necessity for infants, despite the CDC’s non-mandatory recommendation.
The advisory panel’s deliberations are compounded by internal tensions, as Kennedy has replaced key committee members with vaccine skeptics. A University of Minnesota study supports the birth dose, citing its role in reducing hepatitis B infections significantly and preventing future health complications. The research warns that delaying the vaccine could undermine decades of public health progress.
