Statement attributable to:
Sandra Adamson Fryhofer, MD
Trustee, American Medical Association
“The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice’s (ACIP) vote to weaken the birth-dose recommendation for the Hepatitis B vaccine is reckless and undermines decades of public confidence in a proven, lifesaving vaccine. Today’s action is not based on scientific evidence, disregards data supporting the effectiveness of the Hepatitis B vaccine, and creates confusion for parents about how best to protect their newborns.
“Administering the birth dose is crucial for protecting children from both perinatal and early postnatal transmission of Hepatitis B virus—and preventing a lifelong condition that can lead to chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, liver cancer, and death.
“The AMA calls on ACIP to make good on the Administration’s promise to use gold standard science. Families should be able to rely on the CDC for clear, evidence-based guidance when making important vaccination decisions for their children. We urge the CDC to reject this recommendation and uphold its commitment to science and public health. The consequences of failing to do so are too severe and the potential harm too great.”
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The American Medical Association is the physicians’ powerful ally in patient care. As the only medical association that convenes 190+ state and specialty medical societies and other critical stakeholders, the AMA represents physicians with a unified voice to all key players in health care. The AMA leverages its strength by removing the obstacles that interfere with patient care, leading the charge to prevent chronic disease and confront public health crises and, driving the future of medicine to tackle the biggest challenges in health care.
