Day one of this week’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting revealed a stunning shift in the hepatitis B debate. For the first time, panel experts openly acknowledged they do not have the data to justify giving every newborn a hepatitis B shot on their first day of life. Hear how this new advisory group challenged inflated risk assumptions, admitted the evidence for newborn safety is surprisingly weak, and questioned why infants are expected to bear the burden for failures in adult screening and prevention. This pivotal exchange is reshaping the national conversation around vaccine policy—and the science that must support it.

AIR DATE: December 4, 2025