Family physicians’ role for infants stays the same after ACIP’s HepB vote
By Margot Savoy, MD, MPH, CPE, FAAFP
AAFP Chief Medical Officer
For most family physicians, our commitment to providing hepatitis B vaccination to newborns remains the same today as it was before the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted last week to change a longstanding recommendation.
We will still have conversations with our patients about the vaccine. We will still address their concerns with empathy. And then, as we always have, we will still provide hepatitis B vaccination to newborns when we and the parents align in shared decision-making.
Hepatitis B recommendation emphasizes shared decision-making
Although the ACIP voted on Dec. 5 to recommend delaying the vaccine for two months in babies whose mothers test negative for hepatitis B, this only shifts the conversation by explicitly emphasizing shared decision-making. The recommendation encourages clinicians and families to discuss the timing and necessity of the vaccine. This is not new to us; family physicians have always engaged expectant families in thoughtful dialogue about testing and vaccination throughout pregnancy.
The AAFP, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists continue to stand together in recommending a three-dose series of the hepatitis B vaccine, with the first dose administered before the infant leaves the hospital. The immunization schedules that the Academy has adopted are grounded in decades of evidence showing that universal vaccination at birth is safe, effective and essential for protecting children from a virus that can lead to serious outcomes including cancer and death.
What’s changed now is the complexity of the conversations we have with families. The ACIP recommendation means we must be prepared to answer new questions and address concerns that may not have arisen before. Our role is to provide clear, evidence-based recommendations, listen empathetically to our patients’ worries and help them make informed decisions. Even when hepatitis B vaccination at birth was universally recommended, parents have always had the right to decline vaccination; our responsibility is to ensure they have the best information to protect their families.
Educating patients about hepatitis B and newborns
Share a familydoctor.org blog from Emily Briggs, MD, MPH, FAAFP, to help your patients understand how hepatitis B vaccinations protect infants.
Build trust to challenge misinformation
The ACIP meeting that led to these changes highlighted a deeper challenge: the tension between scientific evidence and personal experience. Some committee members dismissed robust studies in favor of anecdotes, reflecting a broader societal struggle with trust in medicine. As family physicians, we encounter this every day. Our patients—and sometimes our colleagues—bring their lived experiences, fears and skepticism into the exam room. Our duty is to hold space for these feelings, to show empathy and to rebuild trust without allowing misinformation to go unchallenged.
Accountability means standing firm in our commitment to science and public health while recognizing the humanity in every interaction. We must center our care on the shared goal of protecting families, acknowledging that hurt and mistrust can only be healed through honest conversation and compassionate guidance. The fallout from the recent ACIP vote is real, but so is our capacity to lead with hope and integrity.
Keep advocating for universal hepatitis B vaccination at birth
As we move forward, let’s continue to advocate for universal hepatitis B vaccination at birth, support our colleagues and empower our patients with knowledge and empathy.
The foundation of our work—science, trust and the physician-patient relationship—remains strong. Together, we can navigate these changes and ensure the health and safety of the communities we serve.
Disclaimer
The opinions and views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the opinions and views of the American Academy of Family Physicians. This blog is not intended to provide medical, financial, or legal advice. All comments are moderated and will be removed if they violate our Terms of Use.