Science supports the vaccine’s safety and efficacy
Dr. Karen Hendricks-Munoz, physician-in-chief of CHoR and chair of the Department of Pediatrics at VCU School of Medicine joined other pediatric leaders from across the Commonwealth of Virginia in signing a letter in support of the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation for universal hepatitis B vaccination for all newborns at birth based on decades of scientific evidence.
A letter in support of protecting newborns from hepatitis B
Last week, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to recommend ending the universal birth-dose recommendation for hepatitis B. We want to reassure all families in Virginia that there has been no new or concerning information about the hepatitis B vaccine that prompted this new recommendation. We believe that changing the recommendation sends a confusing message to families with no evidence to support a concern of vaccine safety.
The hepatitis B vaccine is one of the most studied vaccines in history with a very well-established safety and efficacy record. Since 1991, when the universal birth-dose recommendation began, infant hepatitis B infections have fallen by 99% and over 90,000 deaths and one million hospitalizations have been prevented. The universal birth-dose recommendation works because it protects all newborn babies. Without vaccination at birth, up to 25% of infants who become chronically infected with hepatitis B will die prematurely due to liver cancer or cirrhosis. Currently, there is no cure for chronic hepatitis B infection and therapy involves lifelong use of antiviral medications.
In contrast to universal vaccination, relying on maternal testing alone to determine whether a newborn should receive the vaccine has been proven ineffective in the United States since transmission is not limited to mother to infant, many women receive little or no prenatal care, screening tests can be falsely negative, and infection can occur after testing.
Most importantly, we want to emphasize that every family deserves a chance to discuss their child’s health with a trusted provider. This applies to all vaccines, including the hepatitis B vaccine. Pediatricians have always placed the health and well-being of children at the center of everything we do, and we will continue to do so. The role of an advisory committee is to review the science and make recommendations based on the best available evidence. The AAP recommendation for universal hepatitis B vaccination at birth is exactly that.
Respectfully,
Chairs of Pediatrics in Virginia
Karen D. Hendricks-Muñoz, MD, MPH
William Tate Graham Endowed Professor and Chair of Pediatrics Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine; Physician in Chief Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU
Eric J. Lowe, MD
Chair, Department of Pediatrics, Eastern Virginia Medical School at Old Dominion University; Professor, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology; Chief Clinical Academic Officer, Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters
Madhu Misra, MD, MPH
Benjamin Armistead Shepherd Professor and Chair of Pediatrics, University of Virginia; Physician-in-Chief, UVA Health Children’s
Cynthia Gibson, MD, MHA
Chair, Department of Pediatrics, Inova LJ Murphy Children's Hospital; Associate Professor of Medical Education, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Inova Campus