Federal vaccine advisers, selected by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., are igniting a firestorm as they gear up to vote on stopping hepatitis B shots for newborns and dig into whether the childhood vaccine schedule is harming kids, The Washington Post reported.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is holding a two-day session to consider updates to national vaccination protocols for children. One key issue on the table is whether to revise the recommendation that all newborns receive the hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of delivery. The panel’s new chair, pediatric cardiologist Kirk Milhoan, is leading this review.
The proposed change would exempt infants whose mothers have tested negative for hepatitis B. Critics, including Kennedy, argue the existing universal policy applies unnecessary treatment to infants at very low risk and adds an avoidable burden on families.
The hepatitis B shot at birth, recommended since 1991 by the CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics, has cut infections in kids and teens by 99 percent, according to a 2023 study. But delaying this dose, as Milhoan plans with a timeline “still being finalized,” makes sense when you question why every child should be jabbed for a disease so few encounter early on.
Milhoan’s team is also tackling broader concerns, asking if the jam-packed childhood vaccine schedule contributes to chronic conditions like asthma or autoimmune issues. His statement that “we’re looking at what may be causing some of the long-term changes in population data” hits home for parents tired of being told to trust the system without real answers.
Kennedy’s long-held view linking vaccines to autism and allergies has been dismissed by medical elites, yet his bold move to revise the CDC website language on autism last week shows he’s not afraid to challenge a complacent establishment. Why shouldn’t we question a schedule that’s ballooned over the years with little pushback?
The panel’s focus turns to vaccine components, especially aluminum adjuvants in over a dozen standard shots meant to enhance immune response. Milhoan’s concern about “unintended substances contaminating them during manufacturing” raises valid doubts about what’s being injected into our children, even if the CDC touts a 70-year safety record.
Health bureaucrats and industry voices warn that removing aluminum could cost billions and disrupt supply, but Milhoan clarifies “we’re not saying that at all” about banning it. Still, starting this conversation is a win for transparency when Big Pharma often hides behind complexity to avoid accountability.
The FDA claims swapping out aluminum isn’t feasible anytime soon, per a senior health official, but that sounds like the usual foot-dragging from agencies cozy with drug makers. If there’s even a chance of harm, shouldn’t we prioritize our kids over corporate bottom lines?
ACIP’s recommendations typically guide CDC policy and influence doctors and insurers, yet this week’s agenda skips key discussions on vaccine access or effectiveness. Milhoan’s point that “not enough attention is being paid to risk” cuts through the noise, demanding we balance benefits with potential downsides instead of blindly following old protocols.
Public health insiders like Sean O’Leary of the American Academy of Pediatrics slam the panel, claiming revisions “should not be trusted.” But when establishment voices cry wolf about “devastating” impacts, it often means they’re scared of losing control over the narrative.
Recent chaos, like the firing of former CDC director Susan Monarez for resisting the committee’s direction and top officials quitting in protest, proves the old guard won’t go quietly. Kennedy’s direct order to update CDC autism guidance last week is a refreshing slap to a system that’s long ignored parental concerns.
As ACIP meets, the hepatitis B vote tests whether this panel will prioritize common sense over bureaucratic inertia. Their silence on broader schedule votes or practical impacts suggests a focus on dismantling flawed policies rather than pandering to outdated norms.
Vaccine industry players moan about billions in costs if adjuvants are questioned, but American families deserve answers, not excuses tied to profit margins. Parents and pediatricians are left wondering if this administration will finally put children’s well-being above special interests.
This juncture calls for unwavering attention to ACIP’s moves under Kennedy and Milhoan, ensuring science serves the people, not the powerful. If we’re serious about protecting the next generation, we must demand policies rooted in evidence and skepticism of overreaching mandates, not blind faith in a broken status quo.