On January 9, 2026, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced that it will continue to recommend the hepatitis B vaccine for all newborns at birth. This decision follows guidance from the Illinois Immunization Advisory Committee (IL-IAC), despite recent changes in federal recommendations.
The federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recently voted that newborns under two months old should not receive the hepatitis B vaccine unless they are considered at risk. The ACIP also advised that parents and medical professionals discuss whether to accept the vaccine for their infants.
In response, IDPH Director Sameer Vohra, M.D., J.D., M.A., who is also a member of the Illinois State Medical Society (ISMS), stated: “Parents deserve clear, trustworthy and science-based information when making decisions about their child’s health. I am grateful to the IL-IAC for their thorough review of the latest data, which reaffirms that the hepatitis B vaccine at birth is safe, effective and critical in preventing chronic liver disease and liver cancer later in life. Despite recent federal changes, our recommendation for universal birth vaccination ensures every newborn in Illinois receives the strongest protection against this potentially deadly infection.”
Questions regarding this policy can be directed to ISMS’s Health Policy Research and Advocacy team by email.
