RFK Jr. 2024 Bombshell: New Poll Shows Independent Run Could Upend Biden-Trump Showdown

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s overhauled Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has voted 8-3 to scrap the 34-year-old recommendation that every newborn in the United States receive a hepatitis B shot before leaving the hospital. What changed • The panel now urges the birth-dose only when a mother tests positive for hepatitis B or her status is unknown. • Parents of babies born to hepatitis-B-negative mothers are advised to “discuss timing” with their pediatrician and, if they still want the vaccine, wait until at least two months of age. • Insurance coverage rules remain unchanged unless CDC Acting Director Jim O’Neill endorses the recommendation; his sign-off is required for it to take effect nationwide. Why it matters Hepatitis B can lead to chronic liver disease and cancer, and universal infant immunization is credited with a 98 % drop in U.S. cases among children since 1990. Public-health leaders warn that moving to a risk-based approach could allow infections to rebound if prenatal testing misses carriers or mothers contract the virus late in pregnancy. Inside the vote Kennedy fired every previous ACIP member and installed advisers who share his vaccine-skeptical views. Critics say the revamped committee sidelined CDC scientists and relied on presenters with no medical degrees, turning the two-day Atlanta meeting into “political theater,” according to American College of Physicians liaison Jason Goldman. Reactions • Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) urged O’Neill to reject the proposal, warning it “makes America sicker.” • Long-time vaccine expert Paul Offit called the panel “political, not scientific,” and refused to participate. • HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon argued that bringing “a diverse set of viewpoints” strengthens debate. What parents should know now 1. The hepatitis B birth dose is still CDC policy until O’Neill rules. 2. State day-care and school mandates remain in force; exemptions vary by state. 3. Pediatric groups continue to advise the three-dose series starting at birth to ensure lifelong protection. What’s next O’Neill is expected to decide within weeks. If he signs off, states will choose whether to revise school-entry requirements, and insurers could follow the new guidance for coverage. Public-health officials are already modeling potential upticks in infection rates should the universal birth dose disappear. Bottom line RFK Jr.’s first major imprint on national vaccine policy sets up a high-stakes showdown between an ascendant anti-mandate movement and mainstream medical evidence—one that could reshape how American infants are protected against hepatitis B and future infectious threats.