December 5, 2025
The importance of hepatitis B vaccination for newborns
Kaiser Permanente will continue to offer the hepatitis B vaccine at birth as supported by strong, long-standing evidence.
Hepatitis B is an infection of the liver caused by the contagious hepatitis B virus that spreads through contact with infected blood and body fluids. Without vaccination, as many as 9 in 10 infants infected with hepatitis B in their first year of life will develop chronic infection that can lead to liver failure and death.
The decision by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) to remove the recommendation for universal vaccination of infants at birth for protection against hepatitis B infection contradicts decades of scientific evidence that vaccination saves thousands of children from chronic and even life-threatening illness every year.
Since universal vaccination began in 1991, there has been a 95% reduction in childhood hepatitis infections, according to data from the World Health Organization. The hepatitis vaccine has proven to be safe and effective in protecting infants from an entirely preventable disease, especially when a mother’s screening is incomplete or there is heightened risk of exposure in communities.
As a health care organization, we have an obligation to protect the health of our members and communities. Physicians at Kaiser Permanente will continue to offer the hepatitis B vaccine at birth because this approach is supported by strong, long-standing evidence showing it protects newborns during a time when they are most vulnerable. We welcome any questions and concerns from our members regarding the hepatitis B vaccine or any other childhood vaccinations.
Vaccines save millions of lives worldwide each year, prevent severe disease, and have been responsible for the eradication of deadly infectious diseases. They are among the most essential tools we have to support public health and Kaiser Permanente’s mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care.
