Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination Director Urges Continued Universal Hepatitis A Vaccination in the U.S.

In a Viewpoint published in The Lancet on April 22, 2026, Dr. John W. Ward, director of the Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination (CGHE), joined Dr. Noele Nelson in urging U.S. Policymakers to maintain routine universal childhood vaccination against hepatitis A. The authors, both architects of previous CDC recommendations for hepatitis A vaccination, presented a point-by-point rebuttal to the January 5, 2026 decision by the acting CDC director to no longer recommend hepatitis A vaccination for all children in the United States.

The Viewpoint emphasizes that three decades of hepatitis A vaccination in the USA have firmly established the vaccine’s effectiveness, long-term immunity, and safety. Routine hepatitis A vaccination of all children is described as the proven strategy to prevent hepatitis A, with the authors stating that universal vaccination could lead to the elimination of the virus in the nation.

Since the introduction of routine hepatitis A vaccination for children in 1996, the incidence of hepatitis A has declined by 95%. By 2011, the rate reached a record low of 0.4 cases per 100,000 population. The authors highlight that pediatric vaccination is essential because it eliminates a reservoir of transmission in communities, thereby protecting adults who are at the highest risk for severe liver disease and liver failure.

The Viewpoint cites ample evidence supporting vaccine safety and effectiveness, noting that pre-licensure studies were randomized, placebo-controlled trials that identified no serious adverse events. The authors argue that removing hepatitis A vaccination from the routine childhood immunization schedule threatens decades of progress in controlling the virus.

The Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination continues to advocate for sustained vaccination efforts as a critical component of viral hepatitis elimination strategies globally.