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Lisa's avatar

Please explain and justify why we vaccinate neonates for Hep B which is overwhelmingly spread by IV drug use and sex? The shot wears off in about a decade, so how does injecting one-day old babies make sense if the mother does not test positive for Hep B infection (mothers are tested)? Why do other countries not follow this practice? Why do we have the highest day-one mortality? Day one and our vaccine schedule flunks any rational risk/benefit analysis. Our infants are being served up as a market for drug companies. Thanks for defending them!

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GTN's avatar

My first baby was born just days ago. We were asked by those cleaning up the baby - minutes after birth, before we even held him - if we wanted him to receive the Hep B vaccine. I was taken aback. Surrounded by our OB and nurses, we said yes. If we said no…I wonder what glances we would have received from those making sure our baby was breathing ok. I didn’t appreciate it, and I’ve been thinking about it ever since.

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Mary Dean Cason's avatar

I was under the impression that neonates were only vaccinated if their mothers were positive for Hep B or never had prenatal care. Could a HCP with knowledge enlighten me?

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Alexandra's avatar

I have two young daughters. With both they tried to vaccinate within hours of life. For the first I accepted out of shock I was being asked, for the second I refused.

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Jon Straub's avatar

I have small children and work in healthcare. I promise you that they try to vaccinate for Hep B within HOURS of birth.

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Jun 21, 2023
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Leah Rose's avatar

At the time the CDC approved it for the schedule they specifically said it was because its target population (prostitutes and IV drug users) are unlikely to seek preventative care and so they would just give it to all babies, on the erroneous presumption that it would confer lifelong immunity. It doesn't.

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Celia M Paddock's avatar

Wouldn't it be more logical to give it only to babies whose mothers did NOT seek prenatal care and/or did not have a negative test shortly before birth? That's a pretty clear and easy thing to determine.

But no, Big Pharma gets paid for every dose given.

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Lisa's avatar

Any sane healthcare system truly seeking to protect its patients-in this case the most vulnerable—would revisit this policy via open discussion, not seek to demonize and deplatform those who ask questions.

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