New research reinforces the importance of hepatitis B vaccination at birth

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May is Hepatitis Awareness Month, and new research underscores a key point: Giving the hepatitis B vaccine at birth is critical to preventing serious, often lifelong disease.

A new JAMA Pediatrics study modeled in the United States found that delaying the first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine, even by just two months, could have significant public health and economic consequences. A two-month delay in vaccination for infants born to parents who tested negative for hepatitis B could result in:

Over 90 additional acute infections in a single year
Projected increases in liver cancer (21) and cirrhosis cases (30), and nearly 30 additional deaths
More than $16 million in avoidable health care costs annually

Hepatitis B is a serious disease, and infants are especially vulnerable. Hepatitis B is a viral infection that attacks the liver and it can be particularly dangerous for babies and young children. That’s because infection in early life can lead to serious, chronic health issues, including cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), liver cancer and even liver failure. Infants can be exposed during birth or through everyday contact including:

By sharing, even incidentally, personal items like toothbrushes, razors or towels with an infected person
Through contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person, even in a small amount. Because the hepatitis B virus can live on surfaces for up to a week, the connection to an infected person is not always obvious.

By the numbers:

90% of infants infected with hepatitis B at birth will develop chronic, lifelong infection.
Hepatitis B is up to 100 times more transmissible than HIV. Vaccinating newborns against hepatitis B at birth works, offering critical protection early in life.
Cases of hepatitis B in children have dropped by 99% since the introduction of the birth dose in the U.S. The latest JAMA study reinforces decades of evidence showing these vaccines are safe, effective and provide critical protection for vulnerable newborns.

The bottom line. During Hepatitis Awareness Month, it is important to reinforce what the evidence-based data continues to show: The hepatitis B vaccine at birth protects babies from serious illness and lifelong health complications.

Learn more at PhRMA.org/Vaccines.

Carolyn Ha

Carolyn Ha, Pharm.D., is a Deputy Vice President in the Policy and Research Department at PhRMA, where she provides clinical expertise to shape policy development and advocacy related to population health and chronic disease management, improvement of medication use and clinical and quality management strategies. As a clinician, she is passionate about patient care and translating research into actionable policies that will ensure patients get the most out of their medications and creating a sustainable health care delivery system that incentivizes innovation. Carolyn received her Doctor of Pharmacy from Rutgers University and is a registered pharmacist in Virginia. Prior to joining PhRMA, she spent time as a practitioner in a community pharmacy and advocated on behalf of independent pharmacy owners. When she’s not working to improve the lives of patients through better use of medicines, Carolyn can be found spoiling her nephew & niece, exploring new restaurants, traveling and cheering on the New York Giants.

Carolyn Ha

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