CAPAC Chair Meng Rebukes Reckless Decision to End Hepatitis B Immunizations at Birth

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06), Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), issued the following statement after the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice (ACIP) voted 8-3 to end the hepatitis B vaccine birth dose recommendation for newborns:

“Decades of research prove that the hepatitis B vaccine is safe and effective for newborns. This reckless decision will lead to thousands of preventable infections for a disease with no cure.

“This is not just a threat to our children’s health; it endangers the health of millions of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Asian Americans account for more than half of all hepatitis B infections in the United States, despite making up only seven percent of the population—one of the largest racial health disparities in the country.

“This is what happens when we put vaccine skeptics in charge of Americans’ health. They are playing politics with people’s lives and making our nation sicker.” 

BACKGROUND: 

In the United States, the most common types of viral hepatitis are hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. Viral hepatitis B disproportionately impacts the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) population and can lead to serious health problems, including cirrhosis, liver cancer, and death.

1 in 12 Asian Americans is chronically infected with hepatitis B. In 2022, the CDC reported that the rate of new chronic hepatitis B cases was highest among AANHPI persons compared to other racial or ethnic groups—more than 11 times the rate among non-Hispanic White persons. In addition, the death rate with hepatitis B is highest among the AANHPI population—nearly 9 times the death rate among non-Hispanic White persons. Chronic hepatitis B is often referred to as a “silent killer” because many individuals who are infected may experience no symptoms and consequently are unaware of their illness until serious health problems arise later.

The ACIP started recommending a birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine in 1991. Since then, annual hepatitis B cases in the U.S. have dropped by 99 percent. In June, Secretary Kennedy fired the entire 17-member panel and replaced it with hand-picked anti-vaccine skeptics.

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