The Department of Health's Centre for Health Protection (CHP) today emphasised that all public health policies and medical advice must be based on scientific evidence, as it rejected any suggestion of delaying or discontinuing the hepatitis B vaccination for newborns, stating that this would pose significant and irreversible public health risks to the community.

The centre was responding to media enquiries about whether adjustments to the vaccines covered by the Hong Kong Childhood Immunisation Programme (HKCIP) are needed.

The centre reaffirmed that vaccines under the HKCIP are among the most effective tools for safeguarding public health and preventing and controlling infectious diseases, and that their safety and effectiveness is fully supported by scientific evidence from long-term practice.

It reminded parents to ensure their children receive timely vaccinations under the HKCIP to protect them from contracting serious vaccine-preventable diseases.

CHP Controller Dr Edwin Tsui said the Government has long promoted comprehensive childhood immunisation.

“Vaccines that contribute to safeguarding children's health and overall public health have been incorporated into the HKCIP and other government vaccination programmes, such as the Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Programmes.

“Thanks to the trust and support of parents, schools and the healthcare professionals in the HKCIP over the years, immunisation coverage has remained extremely high, successfully keeping the incidence of related childhood infectious diseases in Hong Kong at extremely low levels.”

Dr Tsui highlighted that the CHP's Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases (SCVPD) regularly reviews vaccines for various preventable diseases by assessing Hong Kong's epidemiology, the latest recommendations on immunisation from the World Health Organization (WHO), scientific developments and the application of new vaccines, updates on vaccine components, cost-effectiveness studies, and the experiences of other health authorities.

The SCVPD then makes recommendations to the Department of Health from a public health perspective.

“The HKCIP is tailored to local epidemiological conditions and has been proven safe and effective,” added Dr Tsui. “Its achievements in safeguarding public health are evident. Members of the public should not blindly follow practices in certain overseas regions and develop unnecessary concerns about the HKCIP's long-standing effectiveness.”