DeGette Statement Following ACIP Vote to End Universal Hepatitis B Vaccine Birth Dose Recommendation

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Diana DeGette (CO-01) released the following statement after the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to end the universal Hepatitis B vaccine birth dose recommendation for newborns:

“This administration’s anti-science agenda is going to get kids killed. The vote by members of ACIP to end the universal Hepatitis B vaccine birth dose recommendation for newborns is not supported by science and is incredibly reckless. Donald Trump and RFK Jr. have eroded Americans’ confidence in public health and diminished our capacity to protect the public, from hawking unproven treatments to ousting trusted medical experts across the federal government. Now, because of an ACIP stacked with vaccine conspiracy theorists, children will be more likely to get preventable diseases and die.

“I renew my demand to the Republican leadership to bring RFK Jr. before the Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee to explain his assault on science. There must be accountability as this administration makes decisions that jeopardize the health of American children.”