Fact Check: Do Only ‘High-Risk’ Babies Need Hepatitis B Shots?

Media Bias Fact Check (MBFC) publishes daily vetted fact checks from verified IFCN-approved sources. Each claim is independently reviewed for accuracy and context.


Claimant: CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)


Claim: Many people know their hepatitis B status, so only “high-risk” babies require vaccination.


Rating: FALSE


Explanation: Hepatitis B can remain asymptomatic for years. The CDC estimates ~640,000 adults have chronic HBV and about half don’t know they are infected. Before universal vaccination, only half of infected children acquired HBV from their mothers, meaning many infections came from other household contacts. PolitiFact found the ACIP claim misrepresented real-world risk.


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Date: 12/07/2025


 


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Last Updated on December 7, 2025 by Media Bias Fact Check

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