HB1719

Logic and critical thinking are the foundation of intelligence. Together they create the ability to make wise decisions throughout one's growth and development.

I strongly oppose this bill. Hepatitis B is a very severe illness. Vaccination can protect our citizens from suffering the consequences of this illness.

Liver disease is not something to mess around with. Vaccines have helped eliminate or make super rare some very harmful diseases. That progress can be lost in one generation of unvaccinated humans. Vaccinations are a continuous endeavor for continued public health.

1. Prevents Chronic Hepatitis B Infection Infants and young children are at highest risk of developing chronic hepatitis B if infected. ~90% of infected infants ~30% of infected children under age 5 Chronic infection can persist for decades without symptoms. Vaccination prevents the infection before exposure occurs. 2. Protects Against Serious Long-Term Disease Chronic hepatitis B can lead to: Cirrhosis Liver failure Hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer) Hepatitis B is a leading cause of liver cancer worldwide, and infection acquired in childhood is a major driver. 3. Blocks Mother-to-Child Transmission Hepatitis B can be transmitted at birth, even when the mother has no symptoms. The birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine (within 24 hours) dramatically reduces perinatal transmission. This is critical even when maternal screening is negative, due to testing errors or late infection. 4. Provides Early, Durable Protection The vaccine induces long-lasting immunity, often lifelong. Vaccinating in infancy ensures protection before risk behaviors or exposures occur later in life. 5. Prevents Household and Community Transmission Hepatitis B spreads through blood and certain body fluids. Young children can acquire infection through: Close household contact Shared items (e.g., toothbrushes, minor cuts) Vaccination protects children in everyday, non-obvious exposure scenarios. 6. Safe and Highly Effective 95% effective in preventing infection Extensive safety record over decades of use Serious adverse events are extremely rare 7. Reduces Health Inequities Hepatitis B disproportionately affects: Infants born to infected parents Children in communities with higher HBV prevalence Universal childhood vaccination removes reliance on risk-based strategies, which miss cases. 8. Supports Elimination of Hepatitis B Universal pediatric vaccination is a cornerstone of national and global HBV elimination strategies (CDC, WHO). Countries with high vaccine coverage have seen dramatic declines in pediatric HBV infection and liver cancer rates. Hepatitis B vaccination in children prevents a silent infection that can cause devastating disease decades later. Early vaccination is safe, effective, equitable, and one of the most impactful public health interventions available.

Hepatitis B is a serious health threat,

I am writing in opposition to this bill. The position of NH Medical Society members— physicians and experts with extensive training, education, and experience in public health and clinical medicine—remains clear and consistent: the Hepatitis B vaccine is safe, effective, and provides significant, lifelong benefits. This position is grounded in decades of careful evaluation, ongoing safety monitoring, and contemporary, evidence-based research. The New Hampshire Medical Society echoes the physician testimony provided today, which underscored the vaccine’s strong safety profile, the very low incidence of adverse effects, and its profound long-term impact on public health. Hepatitis B vaccination has been instrumental in preventing chronic liver disease, liver cancer, and the spread of infection—outcomes that benefit not only individual patients, but the health of our communities as a whole. It is also important to note that the state already provides a process for parents and patients to opt out of immunization requirements. For these reasons, we strongly urge the committee to oppose this bill and to continue to support evidence-based immunization policies that protect the health and safety of New Hampshire residents.

Removing HEPA B from children’s vaccination list is not based on facts or science. Please VOTE NO.

I urge you to oppose this bill that will harm the health of NH's children and vulnerable individuals. NH should be protecting, not injuring the public's health!

NH should be providing accurate public health information about the importance of vaccines and not trying to scare people and encourage them to have their children opt out of these lifesaving vaccines. Vaccines are being politicized in a coordinated national effort and this will only harm our NH families who have shown healthier outcomes than many other states due to strong public health education and the availability of evidence based information and easy access to vaccines. I urge you to oppose this bill. Thank you.

I oppose this bill because, as a nurse, I believe that we should take advantage of the benefits vaccines provide. Also, those who are unvaccinated, but could be, pose a risk to vulnerable people who cannot be vaccinated for health reasons.

I'm a pediatrician and this is insane

I oppose this bill because Hep B is a serious disease, easy to catch, even by exposure to blood on paper from a paper cup. I was very glad when this vaccine became available for me. Thank you for your work for our residents. Joanna Andros

The recent change in our universal childhood vaccine schedule by the US HHS was not a decision based in evidence-based medicine. The change has been criticized by groups like the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Public Health Association (APHA), all noting in recent statements the widely documented safety and effectiveness of the Hepatitis B vaccine. Following HHS guidance with the actions proposed in this HB1719 would undermine evidence-based practices and put our school-aged children and broader communities at unnecessary risk. I strongly oppose the change in vaccine requirements outlined in HB1719 and urge you to consider the both the information and recommendations shared by groups of national expert health care providers and the processes used to establish that guidance. Public health requirements keep people healthy because they are based in what the evidence shows us works to reduce illness and death across populations. Families always have choices about accepting those requirements. Legislation that: - limits access to evidence-based best recommendations/practices, - directly undermines the efforts of public health, - and diminishes family’s abilities to make decisions based on proven practices that keep our larger society healthy, is not the NH way.

Please do not remove Hep B vaccination from children! I oppose this bill.

Curious times, when state representatives assume the cumulative knowledge of 50 years of medical research and the accumulated clinical knowledge of health professionals. Hepatitis B vaccine is an extraordinary safe vaccine being used for more than 40 years - although not the highest prevalence, it is often undetected in the mother. We no longer see the diseases I trained to diagnose because of vaccines (measles, etc) but thanks to state representatives doing "their research" and using their political power to apply bizaarely partisan perspectives to serious public health decision-making, we will all see them again!

The vaccine recommendations made by this current CDC and ACIP are purposefully weak and confusing and do not hold the confidence of the public. More importantly, the new federal recommendations are not based on scientific evidence. NH should trust the voices of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the physicians in this state who have been advocating what is best for children for more than a hundred years.

I strongly urge you to oppose this bill. There is no scientific evidence that supports removing Hepatitis B vaccine from the required school vaccinations. Hepatitis B is often called a "hidden" disease as people who have it are often unaware they have it. It is very easily transmitted through blood and body fluids (and the virus can live outside the body for a long time), putting our most vulnerable (children) at risk for the lifelong consequences (even death) from chronic Hepatitis B infection. In addition to clinical trials, decades of use in infants and young children and follow up surveillance show NO safety signals and immunizing young children has been successful in decreasing the burden of this disease. Please do not sow confusion among parents by politicizing health information. Please oppose HB 1719. Thank you.

Hepatitis B, has no cure, and causes liver failure. I think it should remain on the NH required immunization schedule. Parents can easily get a religious exemption, in NH, if they do not want to get their child(ren) immunized for Hepatitis B.

Testimony Against HB 1719: Harmful Implications of Removing Hepatitis B Immunization I strongly oppose HB 1719, which seeks to remove the Hepatitis B vaccine from the required immunization list. This legislation poses a significant threat to public health, particularly for marginalized communities who already face disproportionate health disparities. Hepatitis B is a serious viral infection that can lead to chronic liver disease, and its vaccination is essential in preventing both individual and community transmission. Removing this requirement jeopardizes the health of our most vulnerable populations, including low-income families and communities of color, who may have limited access to healthcare resources and information. Additionally, the implications of this bill extend beyond individual health to the broader concept of community immunity. By diminishing the required vaccinations, we risk creating an environment where preventable diseases can re-emerge and spread, further straining our healthcare systems. The decision to eliminate this immunization requirement reflects a narrow, short-sighted understanding of public health that neglects the intersectional realities faced by many families. It is crucial that we prioritize comprehensive health measures that ensure the well-being of all community members, especially those who are historically underserved. Upholding immunization mandates, including Hepatitis B, is a necessary step toward fostering a healthier, more equitable society for everyone.

I never knew my grandfather because he died after contracting Hepatitis B through a blood transfusion in the 1980's. The Hepatitis B vaccine has saved so many lives including those of many children. It is not just an STD, it can be contracted through other means as well and it is a devastating condition that many have died or had permanent complications from. The vaccine makes Americans healthier, less children receiving the vaccine will not. Please think of the families who have already been impacted by this disease and other infectious diseases. These are not just hypothetical scenarios, we know what a world with fewer vaccines would actually look like. Children deserve a future free of infectious disease, and this bill and similar bills would bring them the opposite.