The West Coast Health Alliance (WCHA) has publicly stated its continued support for routine hepatitis B vaccination for all newborns, despite recent changes recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a group that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The WCHA’s position is consistent with major national medical organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the Infectious Diseases Society of America.
According to WCHA, ACIP recently voted to end its longstanding recommendation for universal hepatitis B vaccination at birth. Instead, ACIP now advises that parents consult their healthcare providers about blood tests after each dose in the vaccine series. WCHA contends that “there was no credible evidence presented to support either of these changes.” The organization further argues: “Delaying the birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine and using blood tests to guide vaccination will lead to more children and adults developing preventable liver disease and liver cancer with no evidence of a safety benefit.”
A review cited by WCHA from the Vaccine Integrity Project found that there are no additional safety benefits to delaying the first dose of the vaccine. On the contrary, postponing vaccination could increase infection risk and reduce completion rates for the full vaccine series, which is needed for long-term protection. Many individuals with chronic hepatitis B are unaware they are infected, raising concerns that infants could be exposed after birth through household or other contacts. According to WCHA, “the birth dose acts as a critical safety net to protect newborns from infection.”
WCHA also criticized ACIP’s suggestion that blood tests be used to determine how many shots an infant should receive, arguing this would subject infants to unnecessary procedures, increase healthcare costs, delay immunization, and potentially decrease protection against infection.
Hepatitis B is described by WCHA as a highly infectious virus targeting the liver. It can cause chronic illness or death if not prevented. Before 1991—when universal infant vaccination was adopted in the United States—thousands of children contracted hepatitis B each year. Infants are particularly vulnerable: up to 90 percent infected at birth develop chronic infections, with 25 percent dying prematurely from related diseases.
WCHA states: “The hepatitis B vaccine is effective, well tolerated, and decades of global data support its safety. It should continue to be offered to all parents at birth.” The alliance emphasizes that giving newborns their first dose within 24 hours followed by completing the series is essential for protecting those most at risk.
The West Coast Health Alliance was created by California, Oregon, Washington, and Hawai‘i health officials in response to what it describes as changing leadership at CDC and reduced transparency at federal levels. Its mission includes ensuring public health recommendations remain science-based and effective.
The newly established charter outlines shared principles such as prioritizing health equity, maintaining transparency in communication with communities, respecting Tribal sovereignty over health services while acknowledging existing disparities among Indigenous peoples, advocating full coverage for preventive services by payors, and upholding public trust through honesty and accountability.
Through this partnership among western states’ public health agencies—including Hawaii—the alliance plans collaborative reviews of scientific evidence when developing unified policy statements. Their scope includes responding collectively to perceived threats against national public health policy; reviewing data from reputable sources; issuing guidance aligned with respected professional organizations; sharing best practices; reducing confusion; increasing trust; addressing misinformation; and supporting access to accurate information.
