The Hepatitis B vaccine is one of the most effective tools in preventing a potentially deadly and serious viral infection. Despite its documented safety and success, recent public debate over vaccines has been marred by politics and myth. In this blog, you’ll be able to separate fact from myth as we address key topics like stealth viruses, chronic infections, thimerosal, and the changing story of vaccine support in America.
What is Hepatitis B?
Hepatitis B is a viral infection that infects the liver and may cause acute and chronic illness. The virus is transmitted by touching the infected person’s blood or other bodily fluids.
Key points:
- Over 296 million people worldwide are living with chronic infection with hepatitis B.
- It kills nearly 820,000 individuals annually, mostly due to complications like cirrhosis and liver cancer.
- No treatment exists, but vaccination is 98–100% effective.
Stealth Virus: Learning About the Silent Killer
Hepatitis B has also been called a “stealth virus” because it can infect a person silently, without any immediate symptom. Chronic hepatitis B may stay in a person for years without their even realizing it.
How is it a stealth virus?
- It takes time for symptoms to appear after liver damage has progressed far.
- The virus is unknowingly infectious.
- Newborns who are infected at birth have a 90% chance of developing chronic infection.
This silent nature explains why vaccination is even more necessary—immunizing before exposure is the only guarantee.
Chronic Infections and Late Effects
Hepatitis B is a chronic infection, especially one obtained at birth or early childhood.
Effects of chronic hepatitis B:
- Fibrosis of the liver
- Cirrhosis
- Liver failure
- Hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer)
Chronic hepatitis B is the most common cause of liver cancer worldwide. This makes vaccination a powerful tool in the battle against cancer.
RFK Jr.’s Vaccine Advisers Enrage with Bogus Fears of Thimerosal
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a renowned anti-vaccine activist and political candidate, has reignited fears regarding thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative previously used in some vaccines.
The facts:
- Thimerosal was eliminated from most vaccines in children in the U.S. in 2001.
- Multiple studies by the CDC, WHO, and other independent researchers have debunked any link between thimerosal and autism.
- Hepatitis B vaccine does not contain thimerosal in single-dose formulations, which are administered to infants.
They have been discredited by science, but they continue to spread misinformation and distrust.
Unusual Push back: The Rise of Vaccine Skepticism
The growing anti-vaccine trend, led in part by RFK Jr., has seen rare pushback from scientists as well as politicians.
- Public health experts warn that a lack of trust in routine vaccines has the potential to lead to epidemics of preventable diseases.
- Hepatitis B, which had begun to fall due to universal immunization, could see a resurgence if the coverage of immunization slows down.
- Doctors are increasingly concerned about late infant vaccinations—especially the critical birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine.
Dangerous Precedent’: What the First Meeting of Kennedy’s CDC Advisers Reveals
RFK Jr.’s initiative includes a “vaccine safety commission”, whose advisers have questioned vaccine science.
Takeaways from the first meeting:
- Advisers critiqued CDC schedules for vaccines.
- They critiqued early infant immunization, such as Hepatitis B.
- The meeting suggested a politicization of public health.
Public health implications:
Undermining CDC advice would set the clock back on forty years of progress in infectious disease control.
It sets a dangerous precedent in favor of ideology over science.
How the Hepatitis B Vaccine Works
Hepatitis B vaccine is a non-live, recombinant vaccine, and it is not produced from live virus or able to lead to infection.
Routine dosing schedule:
- Birth dose within first 24 hours (critical for infants)
- Second dose at 1–2 months
- Third dose at 6–18 months
- Who needs to be vaccinated?
- All infants
- Unvaccinated children and adolescents
People at risk (health care workers, people with diabetes, those who have more than one sexual partner)
Vaccine Myths vs. Facts
Myth\t Fact
Hepatitis B is an infection caused by sex, therefore babies do not require the vaccine.
The virus can be transmitted at birth.
The vaccine is not safe for babies.
It has been proven to be safe in millions of babies worldwide.
Natural. Natural immunity is better than vaccine immunity.
Hepatitis B infection can lead to lifetime infection and death. Prevention is better.
Final Thoughts: Science Must Lead the Way
The Hepatitis B vaccine is one of the world’s most significant public health achievements. With misinformation continuing to spread, it is crucial that we stand up for science, protect our communities, and cherish factual information above fear.
Vaccination saves lives. Don’t let politics or pseudoscience risk yours
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FAQs About the Hepatitis B Vaccine
Q: Is the hepatitis B vaccine safe in infants?
A: Yes. It is given within 24 hours of birth and has a good safety record.
Q: Is thimerosal contained in the vaccine?
A: No. The vaccine formulations used for infants do not contain thimerosal.
Q: Can adults get the hepatitis B vaccine?
A: Yes. It’s recommended for unvaccinated adults who are at risk of contracting the infection.
Q: Is one dose enough?
A: No. A full 3-dose series is required for long-lasting protection.
Q: What are the side effects of the vaccine?
A: Most common are mild soreness at the injection site and low-grade fever. Severe side effects are extremely, extremely rare.
