Taiwan Continues Universal Hepatitis B Vaccination for Newborns

Taiwan’s Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced it will maintain its universal hepatitis B vaccination program for newborns, despite recent changes in recommendations from the US Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The ACIP voted against universal hepatitis B immunization for infants, suggesting the vaccine should only be given to babies born to mothers who test positive for the virus or whose status is unknown.

The ACIP’s decision, made with an 8-3 vote, has significant implications for vaccination policies in the United States. The committee now recommends that parents make individual decisions regarding the hepatitis B vaccine for infants born to mothers who test negative for the virus. For those infants not receiving the birth dose, the ACIP suggested that the initial dose be administered no earlier than two months of age. This recommendation will become part of the immunization schedule once approved by the director of the US CDC.

In response to the US developments, CDC spokesman Lin Min-cheng emphasized that Taiwan will not follow the new recommendations. He noted that Taiwan’s decision was informed by consultations with its own ACIP members. The high prevalence of hepatitis B in Taiwan, historically transmitted from mother to child, led to the implementation of a universal vaccination policy in July 1986.

The vaccination schedule was updated in November 1992, when it was recommended that newborns receive three doses of the vaccine at “zero, one, and six months” after birth. Subsequently, since May 2011, the first dose has been recommended within 24 hours of birth. In 2022, the coverage rate for the first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine among infants reached 93.1 percent, while the second and third doses recorded 98.9 percent and 97.7 percent coverage, respectively.

Despite the high vaccination rates, the initial dose coverage is slightly lower due to newborns occasionally requiring emergency care or being born with low body weight (under 2 kg). In such cases, these infants often receive the vaccine once their conditions stabilize.

The CDC reported that Taiwan’s vaccination efforts have successfully reduced the hepatitis B carrier rate among children to less than 0.8 percent, a notable decline from 10.5 percent before the policy was enacted. Given the ongoing health risks associated with hepatitis B, including liver cirrhosis and liver cancer, the CDC remains committed to its universal vaccination program. The disease burden in Taiwan differs significantly from that in the US, reinforcing the need for tailored public health policies.

As Taiwan continues its vaccination efforts, it highlights the importance of adapting health strategies to address local disease prevalence and protect the health of its population.