In a decisive move that challenges recent U.S. health recommendations, the Dominican Society of Infectology (SDI) and Dominican Society of Pediatrics (SDP) have jointly affirmed their nation’s commitment to universal hepatitis B vaccination within the first 24 hours of life. This position directly contradicts the updated guidance from the U.S. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which now suggests delaying the vaccine until two months of age for infants born to hepatitis B-negative mothers.
The medical societies issued a comprehensive statement explaining their rationale, emphasizing that the American recommendation conflicts with both the best available scientific evidence and established guidelines from leading global health authorities including the World Health Organization (WHO) and Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). They underscored that the birth-dose protocol represents the most effective medical strategy for preventing perinatal transmission of hepatitis B and subsequent serious health complications including chronic infection, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma.
Healthcare institutions across the Dominican Republic—including maternity wards, neonatology units, pediatric services, and primary care centers—have been instructed to maintain strict adherence to the national Expanded Program on Immunization. This protocol mandates immediate administration of both hepatitis B and BCG vaccines following delivery. The societies highlighted that universal newborn vaccination serves as a critical safety mechanism in scenarios involving undetected maternal infection, occult hepatitis B, inadequate prenatal care, or testing inaccuracies.
Citing robust international evidence, the statement demonstrated how countries maintaining universal newborn vaccination have achieved substantial reductions in childhood hepatitis B infections and associated liver cancer rates. Both organizations reaffirmed their dedication to eliminating hepatitis B as a public health concern and called upon healthcare authorities, medical professionals, and families to collaboratively ensure every newborn receives this vital immunization within the crucial first hours of life.