SF 2171 (LSB 5627XS (6) 88)

SENATE FILE 2171

BY  GUTH, CARLIN, and SCHULTZ

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to the administration of the hepatitis B vaccine to newborns.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  135.131A  Hepatitis B vaccine for newborns —— consent required.
   1.  For the purposes of this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
   a.  “Birth center” means birth center as defined in section 135.61.
   b.  “Birthing hospital” means a private or public hospital licensed pursuant to chapter 135B that has a licensed obstetric unit or is licensed to provide obstetric services.
   2.  A birthing hospital or birth center shall comply with all of the following regarding the administration of the hepatitis B vaccine to a newborn:
   a.  The staff of the birthing hospital or birth center shall offer to a pregnant woman at the time of the woman’s admission to the birthing hospital or birth center administration of the vaccine to the woman’s newborn. The pregnant woman shall be provided with educational materials regarding the vaccine to help the pregnant woman make an informed decision. The educational materials shall include but are not limited to information that the hepatitis B vaccine is not mandatory at birth, information regarding the vaccine’s safety and the possible side effects and adverse events related to the vaccine, and information regarding how to identify an adverse reaction and how to report an adverse reaction to the vaccine adverse event reporting system co-managed by the centers for disease control and prevention of the United States department of health and human services and the United States food and drug administration.
   b.  Following the offer to administer the vaccine, the staff shall receive a written refusal or consent from the pregnant woman. A copy of the written refusal or consent shall be retained in the newborn’s medical record.
   c.  If written consent is obtained, the vaccine shall be administered in accordance with the recommendations of the centers for disease control and prevention of the United States department of health and human services.
   3.  If a newborn is delivered in a location other than a birthing hospital or a birth center, the physician or other health care professional who undertakes the care of the newborn shall comply with the requirements of subsection 2.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill relates to the administration of the hepatitis B vaccine to newborns.
   The bill requires a birthing hospital or birth center, as defined in the bill, to comply with specific requirements regarding the administration of the hepatitis B vaccine to a newborn. The bill requires that the staff of the birthing hospital or birth center shall offer to the pregnant woman at the time of admission administration of the vaccine to the woman’s newborn, and shall provide the pregnant woman with educational materials regarding the vaccine to help the pregnant woman make an informed decision. The educational materials shall include but are not limited to information that the vaccine is not mandatory at birth, information regarding the vaccine’s safety and the possible side effects and adverse events related to the vaccine, and information regarding how to identify an adverse event and report the adverse event to the national adverse event reporting system.
   Following the offer to administer the vaccine, the staff shall receive a written refusal or consent from the pregnant woman, and shall retain a copy of the written refusal or consent in the newborn’s medical record.
   If written consent is obtained, the vaccine shall be administered in accordance with the recommendations of the centers for disease control and prevention of the United States department of health and human services.
   If a newborn is delivered in a location other than a birthing hospital or a birth center, the physician or other health care professional who undertakes the care of the newborn shall comply with the requirements of the bill.