Recent studies published in JAMA and JAMA Pediatrics reveal a sharp rise in US infant bleeding linked to declining Vitamin K shot adherence. Data shows refusal rates have doubled since 2017 amid growing vaccine mistrust and policy shifts under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The jump from 3.1% to 6.8% in Vitamin K refusals
According to data analyzed in JAMA, the rate of newborns who did not receive a Vitamin K shot rose from 3.1% in 2017 to 6.8% in 2025. This trend is accelerating; an exclusive analysis for Reuters by the health data company Truveta found that the percentage of Vitamin K refusals jumped by more than 57% during the first half of 2026 alone.
Dr. Kristan Scott and colleagues at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia also reported a significant upward trajectory in non-compliance. In a December 2024 study, they noted that more than 5 percent of US babies did not receive the injection, representing a 77 percent increase since 2017 .
A 47% increased risk of life-threatening bleeding
The medical consequences of these refusals are stark and measurable. Research led by Dr. Steven Woolf at Virginia Commonwealth University, which examined medical records from 11 million infants, found that the rate of Vitamin K deficiency bleeding has nearly quadrupled. Babies who skip the shot face a 47% higher risk of bleeding within their first six months of life and more than twice the risk of experiencing a brain bleed.
The statistical impact on neonatal wards is significant. The Woolf study, which tracked 5,217 bleeding events among 11 million births, calculated that for every 114 newborns who do not receive a Vitamin K shot at birth, one additional bleeding event will occur. This is a critical departure from the standard of care that has been in place since 1961.
The shadow of RFK Jr. and declining vaccine trust
The rise in non-compliance appears to be part of a broader erosion of trust in medical institutions following the COVID-19 pandemic. The report notes that these refusals have accelerated under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has already moved to drop childhood recommendations for six vaccines. While changes to the vaccination schedule are currently facing legal challenges, health experts suggest that mixed messaging from the administration is driving parental skepticism.
Dr. Elizabeth Wolf, a pediatrician at the Children's Hospital of Richmond, compared the current situation to recent measles outbreaks. She noted that the findings highlight the real-world implications of growing mistrust toward doctors and public health professionals, suggesting that preventable health crises are emerging due to this rising hesitancy.
Will the CDC begin tracking refusal data?
Despite the clear correlation between declining adherence and rising medical emergencies, a critical gap in federal oversight remains. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not currently track the specific rates of Vitamin K refusals or the resulting bleeding events, leaving researchers to rely on independent studies to identify these trends.
While a spokesperson for the US Department of Health and Human Services confirmed that the CDC still recommends Vitamin K shots for newborns, the agency declined to say whether it would begin monitoring refusal rates. This lack of data collection leaves a significant blind spot in how the government responds to the accelerating trend of parental non-compliance.
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