Ping Huang

The CDC's acting director, Jim O'Neill, has changed the agency's guidance to say that pregnant women who test negative for hepatitis B should talk with their providers first and consider delaying the initial dose of the vaccine.

This guidance is not supported by any new evidence of safety concerns.

Republican Senator Bill Cassidy had urged the CDC's leadership to reject the recommendations.

Cassidy is a doctor who's treated patients with liver disease from hepatitis B. He says ending the previous recommendation for all healthy newborns to get the vaccine makes it more likely for cases to increase.

The shift comes over strong objections from professional medical groups.

They're suing the health secretary, alleging that his changes to vaccine policy have not followed proper procedure and violate federal law.

Ping Huang, NPR News.

It's called the Public Health Network Innovation Exchange.

California Governor Gavin Newsom says it's a direct response to the dismantling of federal public health systems.

Newsom has hired Susan Monarez, the CDC director that Trump fired in August, and Dr. Deb Harry, a former top CDC official, to lead the effort.

It's meant to be a collaboration between states to better detect and respond to emerging health threats and to maintain trust in science-driven public health policy.

It's currently funded for $4 million from California's budget.

Ping Huang, NPR News.

U.S.