ALF Statement of Hep B Vaccine
Statement of American Liver Foundation (ALF)
Quotes for attribution to ALF Board Chair Emmanuel Thomas, MD, PhD, FAASLD
American Liver Foundation (ALF) is deeply disappointed that the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted this morning to end the highly effective universal hepatitis B (hep B) birth dose recommendation for infants.
Today, ACIP recommended individual-based decision-making, in consultation with a health care provider, for parents deciding when or if to give the HBV vaccine, including the birth dose. Without vaccination, as many as 9 in 10 infants infected with hep B in their first year of life will develop a chronic infection that can lead to liver failure and death.1 For those not receiving the HBV birth dose, it was suggested that the initial dose be administered no earlier than 2 months of age; ALF strongly disagrees with this decision.
The stakes could not be higher. Infants infected with hep B at birth face up to a 90% risk of developing chronic infection, and nearly one in four of those children will die prematurely from liver failure or liver cancer.
The universal hep B birth dose has reduced infant hep B infections by 95% since its inception in 1991. It prevented an estimated 90,100 infant deaths – the fourth highest number of deaths prevented among all recommended childhood immunizations. Without strong national guidance, vaccine access becomes inconsistent and dependent upon out-of-pocket costs, provider discretion, and/or insurance status. A recent study found that childhood hep B vaccinations prevented over six million infections and nearly one million hospitalizations in less than 30 years.2
There are over 100 types of liver disease and hep B is one of them. Hep B is inflammation of the liver and is a viral infection that presents in blood and bodily fluids. When the body’s immune system responds to this virus it can damage liver cells.3
The hep B vaccine has been proven to be safe over many decades of administration and vaccination is very effective at preventing hep B transmission. To truly eliminate chronic diseases like hep B, we must use all the available tools to their fullest extent, including the universal hep B vaccine at birth.
[1] Why Hepatitis B Vaccination Begins at Birth | Johns Hopkins | Bloomberg School of Public Health
[2] Why Hepatitis B Vaccination Begins at Birth | Johns Hopkins | Bloomberg School of Public Health
[3] Hepatitis B: Symptoms & Treatment