The West Coast Health Alliance (WCHA), in partnership with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and several national medical organizations, has reaffirmed its recommendation that all newborns receive the hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth. This position comes after the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to end the universal recommendation for hepatitis B vaccination at birth.
According to WCHA, this change by ACIP departs from a strategy that has reduced pediatric hepatitis B infections in the United States by 99 percent. The committee also advised that parents consult their healthcare provider about blood tests following each dose of the vaccine series. WCHA states there was no credible evidence presented to support these changes.
“Delaying the birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine and using blood tests to guide vaccination will lead to more children and adults developing preventable liver disease and liver cancer with no evidence of a safety benefit,” WCHA said in its statement.
A review conducted by the Vaccine Integrity Project found that delaying the first dose does not provide additional safety benefits but increases risk of infection and jeopardizes completion of the full vaccine series, which is necessary for long-term protection. Many individuals with chronic hepatitis B are unaware they are infected, which means infants could be exposed unknowingly through household contacts after birth. The birth dose acts as a critical safety net for newborns.
WCHA highlighted that before universal infant hepatitis B vaccination was recommended in 1991, thousands of children were infected annually both at birth and during childhood. Infants are particularly vulnerable; up to 90 percent infected at birth develop chronic infection, and one quarter die prematurely from related diseases.
The alliance noted: “The hepatitis B vaccine is effective, well tolerated, and decades of global data support its safety. It should continue to be offered to all parents at birth.”
WCHA’s newly established charter outlines principles such as health as a right, science-based decision-making, transparency, public health responsibility, equity, respect for tribal sovereignty, and advocacy for preventive service coverage. The alliance includes California, Oregon, Washington, and Hawaii working together to ensure public health strategies are guided by scientific evidence.
Their goals include providing credible information to the public, reducing confusion about public health recommendations, issuing evidence-based policy statements aligned with national professional organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics​ and Infectious Diseases Society of America​, sharing best practices among members, and countering misinformation.
The scope of WCHA’s work involves evaluating threats to national public health policy; reviewing data from clinical and scientific organizations; developing unified policy recommendations; addressing communication needs; and responding proactively to changes in federal guidance.
