Federal vaccine advisors hand-selected by anti-vaccine Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have voted to eliminate a recommendation that all babies be vaccinated against hepatitis B on the day of birth. The decision was made with no evidence of harm from that dose and no evidence of any benefit from the delay.
Public health experts, medical experts, and even some members of the panel decried the vote, which studies and historical data indicate will lead to more infections in babies that, in turn, will lead to more cases of chronic liver disease, liver cancer, and premature death.
“I will just say we have heard ‘do no harm’ is a moral imperative. We are doing harm by changing this [recommendation],” Cody Meissner, a pediatrician and voting member of ACIP said as he voted against the change.
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Every single thing that happens with a one day old baby is a fucking health crisis.
The one thing doctors and nurses are deeply sure of is that ignoring any symptom with a one day old is going to kill that little goober.
They’re super chill about jabbing a few needles into them, though.
This change is some bullshit, but it has been brewing for years with misinformation and a health system that doesn’t give enough fucks about public messaging or giving doctors and nurses time for one on one communication with patients.
Trust is expensive, and the US health system hasn’t invested in building it for decades. “Take this pill and get the fuck out of my office to wait to learn how much you owe me.”