A CDC advisory panel voted to drop the long‑standing recommendation for a universal hepatitis B vaccine dose at birth, a move that departs from decades of federal guidance. The decision followed contentious debate and coincided with a hand‑picked panel convened by RFK Jr. questioning the childhood vaccine schedule; both developments have divided public health advisors and clinicians. Health officials warned the shift could introduce confusion for providers and public health programs, while proponents argued for reevaluating the timing based on new safety‑risk assessments. The change is already prompting legal, policy and payer scrutiny as jurisdictions consider implementation.