US HHS proposes new CDC programs

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has proposed new initiatives for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including a program to increase hepatitis B screening for pregnant women, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday. The proposals include 16 initiatives that have yet to be formalized, with details to be settled before they are rolled out to the CDC in January, the report said, citing internal documents. Former Department of Government Efficiency official Sam Beyda, who was recently named as the CDC's deputy chief of staff, will lead five initiatives, the report added. The list was developed over the past several months in collaboration with senior HHS advisers and CDC leadership, the report said. Reuters could not immediately verify the report. HHS and CDC did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The proposed plan follows recent CDC advisory discussions on delaying the first shot of a hepatitis B vaccine for infants, with the pane

l scheduled to meet in early December to vote on the proposal. At its September meeting, the committee voted unanimously to recommend that all pregnant women be tested for hepatitis B. Hepatitis B is a viral infection that causes liver inflammation. It primarily spreads through infectious blood or body fluids.