New Analysis Shows Delaying the Hepatitis B Birth Dose May Lead to Thousands of Preventable Infections and Hundreds of Millions in Avoidable Healthcare Costs
ATLANTA, GA — December 1, 2025 — Today, researchers, in partnership with HepVu, the Hepatitis B Foundation, and the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable, released new data highlighting the significant, measurable health and economic consequences of delaying the infant hepatitis B (HepB) birth dose vaccine in the United States. The findings—based on a model of 2024 U.S. births—show that even short delays in vaccination lead to substantially more infections, severe long-term health complications, and sharply increased healthcare spending.
- By delaying the birth dose to 2 months among infants whose mothers are not known to be living with hepatitis B, there could be at least 1,400 preventable hepatitis B infections among children, 300 excess cases of liver cancer, 480 preventable deaths and over $222 million in excess healthcare costs, for each year the revised recommendation is in place.
- If the birth dose was delayed to 12 years, this would balloon to at least 2,700 preventable hepatitis B infections and $313 million in excess healthcare costs for each year the revised recommendation is in place.
“Our analysis makes clear that the hepatitis B birth dose is a critical tool for preventing infections that can last a lifetime,” said Eric Hall, PhD, lead author, Oregon Health & Science University – Portland State University School of Public Health. “When vaccination is delayed, whether by months or by years, we see predictable and preventable increases in new infections, chronic disease, liver cancer, and related deaths; these findings show how important timely protection at birth is for safeguarding children’s long-term health.”