Proposed changes to hepatitis B vaccination schedule could significantly increase infections, model suggests

Study finds proposed CDC hepatitis B vaccine policy changes could increase chronic infections by 83%

A modeling study suggests that replacing universal hepatitis B vaccination at birth with delayed vaccination or shared decision-making, as recommended by U.S. federal health authorities in 2025, could lead to substantially more chronic hepatitis B infections among American children. The research warns the policy shift could increase chronic infections by up to 83% compared to current universal birth-dose strategy.