Kennedy’s Vaccine Plan Could Cause Surge in Hepatitis B, Study Finds

Kennedy Jr. could trigger a rise in chronic hepatitis B infections in the years ahead. The timing coincides with renewed political debate, including RFK Jr.'s renewed attack on the vaccine in New Hampshire that inspired a state anti‑vaccine bill, prompting immediate scrutiny of the proposal. The research, reported by MedPage Today, Medical Xpress and Time Magazine, employed a model that compared the proposed schedule with existing recommendations.

The model indicated that delaying or altering early‑life immunization would lead to a statistically significant increase in projected chronic cases. Time Magazine echoed the concern, stating the model forecasts a potential surge in cases. Medical Xpress emphasized that the schedule alteration could significantly increase infections, according to the same modeling effort.

The projections depend on assumptions about nationwide adoption and lack real‑world rollout data, so actual outcomes will hinge on how the schedule is implemented and whether mitigating measures are introduced. Future monitoring will be required to assess actual infection trends once any changes are enacted.