Hepatitis B Vaccines – The Next Big Push?

 Sarasota, FL (WorkersCompensation.com) – These last two years have been one of uncertainty for workers in the healthcare industry. Not only have clinical workers had to deal with the onslaught of treating sick COVID patients, but have also had to face decisions on vaccine mandates required to maintain their job in a landscape of constantly changing information.

Vaccine mandates for workers in a clinical setting are not new. For years, CMS has required Flu vaccinations for workers. However, in the face of an ever-changing landscape of scientific findings on what many consider a new vaccine, there has been a lot of controversy surrounding COVID vaccine mandates. In fact that controversy has been echoed at every level to the point that states have actively considered legislature to cover COVID vaccine reactions under worker’s compensation.

A 2021 study from the UK found that 1 in 6 workers favored mandatory vaccination. In a February report from Fierce Healthcare, it would appear the attitudes in the US vary somewhat from the UK. Several facilities have reported retaining 99 to 98 percent of their workforce while other organizations have abandoned the mandate for fear of losing too many nurses and physicians.

With vaccine requirements gaining traction, Hepatitis B may be next on the mandate radar. Earlier this month, the CDC issued an advisory that all adults aged 19 to 59 should be vaccinated for Hepatitis B. To add to the momentum, a new vaccine PreHevbrio was just recently approved by the FDA last month.

While the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard requires employers to make the Hepatitis B vaccination available, healthcare organizations such as the Association of Occupational Health Professionals have adopted the position that “healthcare workers should complete the Hepatitis B vaccination series”.

While the first Hepatitis B vaccine was approved for use in the US in 1981, the push is still on to determine the effectiveness and safety of different types of vaccines as they become available. Last fall, researchers from Finland and the UK found that the 3-Antigen vaccine is just as effective as the single-antigen vaccine. In another study, led by researchers from University of Alabama at Birmingham, it was determined that the Hepatitis B vaccine formulated with cytosine phosphoguanine adjuvant did not have a higher risk of heart attack when compared to Hepatitis B vaccines that contain aluminum hydroxide.

With the controversy this last year over vaccine side effects and mandates, it will be interesting to see if Hepatitis B will be the next big push. 

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2790492?resultClick=1

Share This Article: