Dominican medical societies reaffirm newborn Hepatitis B vaccine

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Society of Infectology (SDI) and the Dominican Society of Pediatrics (SDP) announced that the country will continue administering the hepatitis B vaccine to all newborns within the first 24 hours of life, despite a recent change in the United States recommending postponement of the dose until two months of age for infants of hepatitis B–negative mothers.

Both organizations issued a joint statement clarifying that the U.S. ACIP recommendation will not be adopted in the Dominican Republic, as it contradicts the best scientific evidence and the guidelines of major international health authorities, including the WHO and PAHO. They emphasized that the birth dose remains the most effective strategy for preventing perinatal transmission and long-term complications such as chronic infection, cirrhosis, and liver cancer.

The SDI and SDP stressed that all maternity wards, neonatology units, pediatric services, and primary care centers must maintain the current vaccination protocol, which includes administering hepatitis B and BCG vaccines immediately after birth according to the national Expanded Program on Immunization. They highlighted that universal vaccination at birth acts as a crucial safety net, especially in cases of undetected maternal infection, occult hepatitis B, lack of prenatal care, or testing errors.

The statement cites international evidence showing significant reductions in childhood hepatitis B infections and liver cancer in countries that maintain universal newborn vaccination. Both societies reaffirmed their commitment to eliminating hepatitis B as a public health problem and urged health authorities, professionals, and families to ensure that every newborn receives the vaccine within the first hours of life.