18 September 2025 (Geneva, Switzerland) – The Hepatitis Fund expresses serious concern over the US Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)’s recommendation to delay the hepatitis B birth dose for infants, a move that, if adopted, risks reversing decades of progress in protecting newborns from a preventable and deadly disease.
“This recommendation risks sending shockwaves far beyond U.S. borders,” said Finn Jarle Rode, The Hepatitis Fund. “The birth dose is not just a clinical protocol; it’s a global standard rooted in decades of evidence. Undermining it now threatens to erode trust in public health systems and stall momentum toward hepatitis elimination worldwide.”
Hepatitis B is a silent but devastating virus, responsible for 1.5 million new infections annually and affecting nearly 300 million people globally. Infants are especially vulnerable: 95% of those infected at birth develop chronic hepatitis B, with 1 in 4 dying prematurely from liver complications. The birth dose, administered within 24 hours of life, offers up to 100% protection and is a cornerstone of global prevention strategies.
Dr. Hala Zaid, Strategic Partnerships Advisor to The Hepatitis Fund and former Minister of Health and Population of Egypt, also emphasized the broader implications of the recommendation:
“Delaying the hepatitis B birth dose is not just a policy shift, it’s a dangerous step backward that will leave newborns vulnerable and undermine decades of global progress. We cannot afford to weaken the first line of defense against hepatitis B. The birth dose is a proven, cost-effective intervention that saves lives and strengthens health systems. To walk away from it now is to abandon the very principles of prevention and equity that global health is built on.”
Dr. Zaid recently authored a call to action titled Safeguarding Future Generations, emphasizing the moral and medical imperative of universal newborn vaccination. Her role in Egypt’s hepatitis C elimination campaign reflects the impact of coordinated public health efforts and the importance of sustained political commitment.
The Hepatitis Fund urges the CDC and US policymakers to reject this recommendation and recommit to the global fight against hepatitis. Protecting newborns through timely vaccination is not optional, it is essential.
Media contact:
Patrick Grossmann
The Hepatitis Fund
pgrossmann@thehepatitisfund.org
