Necessary for whom? Here's the reality that you feel is being distorted: parents are usually pressured into agreeing without being told about possible side effects (listed below, from the vaccine insert).
First group of effects are rare and were found in the initial study in which the subjects were followed for a stunning FOUR DAYS. The second group of effects are from a post-marketing study and it's hard to know how common they are.
So any reasonable person - or medical personnel without conflict of interest (pretty much impossible to find in a hospital setting) - would weigh the below against the chances of an infant encountering Hep B from a blood transfusion.
Here's the list -
Infections and Infestations: Upper respiratory tract illnesses.
Blood and Lymphatic System Disorders: Lymphadenopathy.
Metabolism and Nutrition Disorders: Anorexia.
Psychiatric Disorders: Agitation, insomnia.
Nervous System Disorders: Somnolence, tingling.
Vascular Disorders: Flushing, hypotension.
Gastrointestinal Disorders: Abdominal pain/cramps, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting.
Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue Disorders: Erythema, petechiae, pruritus, rash, sweating, urticaria.
Musculoskeletal and Connective Tissue Disorders: Arthralgia, back pain, myalgia, pain/stiffness
in arm, shoulder, or neck.
General Disorders and Administration Site Conditions: Chills, influenza-like symptoms,
injection site ecchymosis, injection site pain, injection site pruritus, irritability, malaise,
weakness.
Post- marketing:
Infections and Infestations
Herpes zoster, meningitis.
Blood and Lymphatic System Disorders
Thrombocytopenia.
Immune System Disorders
Allergic reaction, anaphylactoid reaction, anaphylaxis. An apparent hypersensitivity syndrome
(serum sickness-like) of delayed onset has been reported days to weeks after vaccination,
including: arthralgia/arthritis (usually transient), fever, and dermatologic reactions such as
urticaria, erythema multiforme, ecchymoses, and erythema nodosum.
Nervous System Disorders
Encephalitis; encephalopathy; migraine; multiple sclerosis; neuritis; neuropathy including
hypoesthesia, paresthesia, Guillain-Barré syndrome and Bell’s palsy; optic neuritis; paralysis;
paresis; seizures; syncope; transverse myelitis
Eye Disorders
Conjunctivitis, keratitis, visual disturbances.
Ear and Labyrinth Disorders
Earache, tinnitus, vertigo.
Cardiac Disorders
Palpitations, tachycardia.
Vascular Disorders
Vasculitis.
Respiratory, Thoracic, and Mediastinal Disorders
Apnea, bronchospasm including asthma-like symptoms.
Gastrointestinal Disorders
Dyspepsia.
Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue Disorders
Alopecia, angioedema, eczema, erythema multiforme including Stevens-Johnson syndrome,
erythema nodosum, lichen planus, purpura.
Musculoskeletal and Connective Tissue Disorders
Arthritis, muscular weakness.
