Lawmakers Ask CDC to Track Rising Refusals of Newborn Vitamin K Shot

Rep. Kim Schrier of Washington and Sen. Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland sent a letter last week to acting CDC director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya urging the agency to address rising refusals of the newborn vitamin K shot.

The letter stated that the federal government does not currently track vitamin K shot refusal, vitamin K deficiency bleeding or related preventable deaths. ProPublica reported that the letter followed its investigation, which found babies dying after families refused the shot and that agencies were not tracking the data.

Alsobrooks said in an interview that ProPublica’s reporting prompted the letter.

She called on HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to publicly support the shot. Kennedy has previously refused to voice support and stated he has never said anything about the injection, an HHS spokesperson said.

Alsobrooks called for Kennedy’s resignation. An HHS spokesperson said the CDC recommends parents allow newborns to receive the shot within six hours of birth. The spokesperson attributed declining uptake to falling public trust in health care institutions, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The American Academy of Pediatrics applauded the lawmakers and ProPublica. Dr. Andrew Racine, AAP president, said the organization has been concerned about the issue for some time and that clinicians need data to diagnose and treat affected babies quickly.

A national study of more than 5 million births found the rate of babies not receiving the shot topped 5 percent in 2024. Research shows babies without the shot are 81 times more likely to develop late vitamin K deficiency bleeding. The CDC states that one in five babies with the condition will die.