The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) has announced that it will continue to recommend the hepatitis B vaccine for all newborns at birth. This position comes after the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to shift from a routine universal recommendation to one based on shared clinical decision-making between parents and doctors.
Despite the federal advisory change, Colorado health officials say their guidance remains consistent with longstanding recommendations from organizations such as the World Health Organization, American Academy of Pediatrics, and American Medical Association. The current requirements for hepatitis B vaccination for child care attendance in Colorado remain unchanged under Board of Health rule 6 CCR 1009-2.
Officials highlight that early vaccination is effective in preventing lifelong infection, reducing liver cancer risk, and saving lives. Since universal newborn vaccination was introduced nationally in 1991, pediatric hepatitis B infections have declined by 99% in the United States. In Colorado, only 23 cases of perinatal hepatitis B were recorded between 2001 and 2015; there have been no confirmed cases since 2016.
“Colorado has spent decades building an effective system of maternal screening and universal birth dose vaccination that has nearly eliminated infant hepatitis B infections in our state,” said Jill Hunsaker Ryan, executive director of CDPHE. “The evidence is strong, the science is clear, and the vaccine has an exceptional safety profile. We want providers and families to know that the hepatitis B birth dose remains safe, effective, and strongly recommended for all newborns.”
State experts warn that not providing the recommended birth dose could reverse progress made against infant hepatitis B infections. Nearly 29% of live births occur without early prenatal care in Colorado; many pregnant individuals may not be screened for hepatitis B before delivery. For these infants, receiving the vaccine at birth may be their only protection.
“We support continued universal newborn vaccination with hepatitis B vaccine because the evidence base is strong and the risk of missing an infection at birth is real,” said Dr. Ned Calonge, Chief Medical Officer for CDPHE. “The hepatitis B vaccine has one of the best safety records of any childhood vaccine, and giving it at birth remains a critical tool to protect infants from preventable, lifelong disease.”
In response to ACIP’s updated guidance—which still allows most families access through insurance plans and federal programs—CDPHE plans several actions:
– Proposing emergency rulemaking with the Colorado Board of Health to reference the latest immunization schedule from AAP.
– Coordinating with state agencies to ensure ongoing insurance coverage across private insurers as well as public health programs like Medicaid.
– Developing educational materials for healthcare providers about shared clinical decision-making regarding infant immunizations.
– Reaching out to hospitals and birthing centers statewide to identify barriers in offering newborn vaccinations.
Further information on hepatitis B prevention can be found at cdphe.colorado.gov.
