The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) today firmly committed to maintaining the existing hepatitis B vaccine schedule to protect newborns. The schedule calls for a hepatitis B vaccine birth dose within 24 hours of delivery, regardless of the hepatitis B infection status of the birth parent, and that all children complete the full vaccination series within 18 months. The hepatitis B vaccine is considered one of the safest and most effective vaccines ever made.

The recommendation is based on an extensive review of current scientific data and medical professional guidance related to the hepatitis B vaccine for newborns and aligns with the American Academy of Pediatrics' Recommended Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule. Vaccination within 24 hours of birth, followed by additional doses, is highly effective at preventing newborn infection and protecting children for life.

RIDOH is issuing this recommendation prior to the scheduled meeting of the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) on Dec. 4 and 5 when ACIP is set to discuss and potentially vote on changing the hepatitis B vaccine schedule for infants.

"The hepatitis B birth dose helps prevent a lifelong, potentially fatal, chronic infection, which can lead to serious liver disease and liver cancer later in life. The hepatitis B vaccine has been tested extensively for safety, and we know that it works. Since 1991, when we started recommending it for all newborns, infections with hepatitis B virus in children and teens have decreased by 99%," said Director of Health Jerry Larkin, MD. "No matter what is happening at the federal level, in Rhode Island, vaccine policy will continue to be grounded in science, data, and facts."

The recommendation reflects a consensus statement from the Northeast Public Health Collaborative, a coalition of public health agencies working together to share expertise, improve coordination, enhance capacity, strengthen regional readiness, and protect evidence-based public health. The group's shared goal is to protect the health, safety and well-being of all residents by providing information based on science, data, and evidence, while working to ensure equitable access to vaccines, medications and services.

The hepatitis B vaccine birth dose and completion of the hepatitis B vaccine series in the first 18 months of life protects infants and children during a vulnerable time of their lives. Delaying vaccination misses a crucial period of potential exposure, putting infants at risk. RIDOH issued an advisory to healthcare professionals and birthing hospitals today reiterating the importance of administering hepatitis B vaccine to all newborns at birth and the full vaccination series in accordance with the American Academy of Pediatrics' recommendations.

Since 2015, RIDOH has identified 201 pregnant people with hepatitis B. The last reported case of perinatal transmission of hepatitis B (meaning transmission from a mother to her child during pregnancy or childbirth) in Rhode Island was in 2023.