The West Coast Health Alliance (WCHA), in collaboration with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and several leading national medical organizations, has reaffirmed its recommendation that all newborns receive the hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth, provided they weigh at least 2,000 grams. This position is supported by groups such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the Infectious Diseases Society of America.
This announcement comes after the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to end its universal recommendation for hepatitis B vaccination for all infants at birth. The ACIP also recommended that parents consult their healthcare providers about blood tests following each dose of the vaccine series. According to WCHA, these changes lack credible evidence and could result in increased cases of liver disease and liver cancer among children and adults.
“There was no credible evidence presented to support either of these changes. Delaying the birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine and using blood tests to guide vaccination will lead to more children and adults developing preventable liver disease and liver cancer with no evidence of a safety benefit,” WCHA stated.
A review by the Vaccine Integrity Project found that administering the vaccine at birth is safe and delaying it increases infection risk while reducing completion rates for the full series required for long-term protection. Many individuals with chronic hepatitis B are unaware they are infected, which means infants can be exposed through household contacts soon after birth. The initial dose serves as a critical safeguard against infection.
The hepatitis B virus is highly infectious, attacking the liver and potentially causing chronic disease, cancer, or death. It can spread even without visible signs of blood or bodily fluids and remains viable on surfaces for up to seven days. Before universal infant vaccination began in 1991 in the United States, thousands of children were infected annually; up to 90 percent of infants infected at birth develop chronic infection, with a quarter dying prematurely from related diseases.
Decades of global data indicate that the hepatitis B vaccine is effective and well tolerated. WCHA emphasized: “Universal vaccination of newborns within 24 hours of birth, followed by completion of the vaccination series, is essential to protecting infants and young children, who are at greatest risk from complications from hepatitis B.”
WCHA was established by California, Oregon, Washington, and Hawaii to ensure public health recommendations remain based on science amid concerns over federal leadership changes affecting transparency and advisory panel integrity. The alliance’s new charter outlines principles such as prioritizing scientific integrity, transparency in communication, public health responsibility, equity in access to care, respect for tribal sovereignty regarding health services, and advocating for full coverage by payors for preventive services.
The group aims to provide unified guidance rooted in best available science while coordinating efforts across states to increase trust in public health measures. Its scope includes evaluating threats to national policy recommendations, reviewing evidence-based reports from clinical organizations before adopting policy changes, issuing unified statements or guidance on public health issues, addressing communication needs within communities, and countering misinformation.
WCHA’s approach emphasizes collaboration with respected professional organizations while independently shaping strategies according to local laws and community needs.
