The New York State Department of Health announced that its hepatitis B vaccination guidelines for infants and children will remain unchanged following two votes by the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The Department emphasized that these national advisory decisions do not impact New York’s existing policies, which require a hepatitis B vaccine birth dose for every newborn without delay, as well as completion of the full vaccine series during infancy.
State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald stated, “Newborn hepatitis B vaccination is a cornerstone of preventive care for infants, and our recommendations in New York State have not changed. The birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine is safe, effective and essential. We continue to recommend that every baby receive this vaccine within 24 hours of delivery, and that infants born to a person with hepatitis B receive it within 12 hours. These practices save lives, and New York remains committed to evidence-based policies that protect our most vulnerable residents.”
Dr. McDonald also noted concerns about the potential effects of the ACIP votes elsewhere: “Today’s national advisory votes were unnecessary changes and may have tragic consequences in some areas of the nation if doctors choose to stop giving newborns the standard hepatitis B preventive birth dose. However, New York has the best doctors anywhere and their practices will remain unchanged due to evidence-based clinical practices and their commitment to protecting their patients and public health. Thanks to Governor Hochul, New York will continue to do the right thing.”
The ACIP approved two specific votes related to hepatitis B vaccination policy language at its recent meeting. Additionally, a procedural vote was passed concerning continued access to hepatitis B vaccines through the federal Vaccines for Children (VFC) program; however, this does not affect current requirements or recommendations in New York.
According to state regulations, proof of immunity can be shown either through vaccination or positive antibody testing after immunization. However, relying on post-vaccination blood tests after each dose would involve multiple laboratory visits and repeated blood draws—an approach considered impractical for most families. For this reason, most healthcare providers in New York recommend completing vaccination rather than repeated testing.
The Department reaffirmed its support for providing information on risks and benefits associated with all vaccines as part of standard care.
Hepatitis B vaccination remains an important safety measure alongside hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG), particularly when screening results are unavailable or errors occur during delivery. Infants exposed at birth face the highest risk for chronic infection; timely administration of the birth dose has significantly reduced infant infections over recent decades.
