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U.S. Panel Votes to End Universal Hepatitis B Vaccine for Newborns

A U.S. advisory panel votes to end the universal Hepatitis B vaccine for newborns, now targeting only high-risk infants. This policy shift impacts public health and biotech firms.

This policy change has profound implications for public health, neonatal care, and the biotech industry. For parents, it alters a decades-old standard of care for their newborns, potentially reducing routine medical interventions for infants not at high risk. Healthcare providers must now adapt their practices to screen mothers and target vaccinations more selectively, which could streamline resources but requires careful implementation to prevent missed cases. From an investment perspective, it may affect companies like Soligenix Inc. and others in the vaccine sector, as shifts in public health recommendations can influence market demand and research priorities. Historically, changes to vaccine schedules reflect ongoing scientific review and can lead to debates about public safety, making this a critical development for anyone concerned with health policy, medical ethics, and the intersection of science and regulation.