CDC vaccine panel to meet in December with vote on hepatitis B shots on agenda

[CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]

An expert panel on immunizations appointed by the U.S. CDC will hold its next meeting in December, with its agenda including a vote on whether to recommend changes to the current Hepatitis B vaccinations.

A Federal Register notice from the CDC on Wednesday suggested that the agency could arrange recommendation votes on childhood Hep B vaccines at [https://x.com/maxonwifi/status/1988604885059907838?s=20] the next meeting of its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), scheduled for Dec. 4–Dec. 5.

“The agenda will include discussions on vaccine safety, the childhood and adolescent immunization schedule, and hepatitis B vaccines,” according to the notice.

At issue is whether babies born to mothers who have tested negative for the hepatitis B virus should not receive the first Hep B shot until at least one month old, with President Donald Trump calling for a delay until children are at least 12 years old.

In its September meeting, the CDC’s deferred a vote on the decision as the ACIP's debate on whether to recommend changes to the current Hep B dosing schedule dragged on. Eleven experts of the 12-member panel voted in favor of the postponement, while Martin Kulldorff, the committee chair, voted no. [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4496623-cdc-panel-delays-vote-newborns-hepatitis-b-shot]

Hep B vaccine makers include Merck (MRK [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/MRK]) and Sanofi (SNY [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/SNY]).

MORE ON MERCK, SANOFI

* Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Shareholder/Analyst Call Transcript [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4841115-merck-and-co-inc-mrk-shareholder-analyst-call-transcript]
* Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Shareholder/Analyst Call - Slideshow [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4841146-merck-and-co-inc-mrk-shareholder-analyst-call-slideshow]
* Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Q3 2025 Earnings Call Transcript [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4835542-merck-and-co-inc-mrk-q3-2025-earnings-call-transcript]
* FDA taps Richard Pazdur to lead key drugs office at agency [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4520217-fda-taps-richard-pazdur-lead-key-drugs-office-agency]
* Insider trades: Netflix, Visa among notable names this week [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4519025-insider-trades-netflix-visa-among-notable-names-this-week]