A trustee with the American Medical Association on Friday condemned a federal advisory panel's decision to end its long-standing recommendation that all U.S. newborns receive the hepatitis B vaccine at birth.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention voted 8-3 to recommend the birth dose only for infants whose mothers test positive for the virus.

Dr. Sandra Fryhofer, an AMA trustee, called the move "reckless" and said it "undermines decades of public confidence in a proven, lifesaving vaccine."

"Today's action is not based on scientific evidence, disregards data supporting the effectiveness of the Hepatitis B vaccine and creates confusion for parents about how best to protect their newborns," Fryhofer said in a statement.

"Administering the birth dose is crucial for protecting children from both perinatal and early postnatal transmission of Hepatitis B virus — and preventing a lifelong condition that can lead to chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, liver cancer, and death."

Some committee members reportedly argued that most U.S. infants are at low risk for infection and said available studies examining possible harms were small or insufficient to detect long-term risks.

The panel recommended that if a mother tests negative for hepatitis B after giving birth, parents should decide with their physician whether their child will receive the vaccine.

If the infant does not receive the dose at birth, the committee suggested waiting until the child is at least 2 months old.

Acting CDC Director Jim O'Neill will decide whether to accept the recommendation. If adopted, it would mark the largest change to childhood vaccination schedules under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Fryhofer urged O'Neill to reject the guidance.

"The AMA calls on ACIP to make good on the Administration's promise to use gold standard science," she said. "Families should be able to rely on the CDC for clear, evidence-based guidance when making important vaccination decisions for their children.

"We urge the CDC to reject this recommendation and uphold its commitment to science and public health. The consequences of failing to do so are too severe and the potential harm too great."

President Donald Trump praised ACIP's vote Friday night on Truth Social, calling it a "very good decision" and arguing that the vast majority of newborns are "at NO RISK of Hepatitis B."

Trump also announced that he signed a presidential directive ordering the Department of Health and Human Services to "FAST TRACK" a review of vaccine schedules worldwide.

Kennedy responded on X: "Thank you, Mr. President. We're on it."

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