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CDC panel delays vote on newborn hepatitis B vaccine and restricts MMRV combo shot

September 19, 2025

On September 18, 2025, CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted 8-3 (with one member abstaining) to restrict use of the MMRV combination vaccine for children under age 4, citing concerns about rare fever-related seizures. The panel now recommends that children around 12 months receive separate MMR and varicella vaccines for their first dose, while the combined MMRV vaccine remains an option for the second dose at ages 4 to 6.¹ The committee also voted (11-1) to delay a decision on hepatitis B vaccination for newborns whose mothers test negative for the virus.²

These moves come amid broader changes to vaccine policy under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who replaced the committee earlier this year with members more skeptical of vaccines.³ Public health leaders warn that the panel’s actions could undermine trust in vaccines and reduce coverage rates. Critics say the committee is prioritizing parental discomfort over public health evidence, and that the changes could lead to confusion, missed vaccinations, and a resurgence of preventable diseases.¹

Sources:

1. Cobern J, McDuffie W, Salzman S. (2025, September 18). ABC News. CDC advisers vote to restrict MMRV vaccine options for younger children, delay vote on hepatitis B vaccine. https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/cdc-advisers-dropping-universal-newborn-hepatitis-vaccine/story?id=125713736

2. Goodman, B. (2025, September 19). CNN. In chaotic start to meeting, CDC vaccine advisers delay hepatitis B vaccine vote, cast new MMRV vaccine vote. https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/19/health/cdc-acip-hepatitis-mmrv-covid-vaccine

3. Stobbe M, Ungar L. (2025, September 18). AP News. Kennedy’s advisory panel recommends new restrictions on MMRV vaccines. https://apnews.com/article/cdc-vaccines-acip-hepatitis-b-chickenpox-21623ff8ead38ae1b21db488ee82a1f8