Hepatitis A Virus Vaccine Inactivated and Hepatitis B Virus Vaccine Recombinant (Systemic)

Brand Names : Twinrix

Before Receiving This Vaccine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For hepatitis A and hepatitis B combination vaccine, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to any hepatitis A or hepatitis B vaccine. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Studies on effects in pregnancy have not been done in either humans or animals.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether hepatitis A and hepatitis B combination vaccine passes into human breast milk. Although most medicines pass into breast milk in small amounts, many of them may be used safely while breast-feeding. Mothers who receive this vaccine and who wish to breast-feed should discuss this with their doctor.

Children - Studies on this vaccine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of hepatitis A and hepatitis B combination vaccine in children with use in other age groups.

Older adults - Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults. Although there is no specific information comparing use of hepatitis A and hepatitis B combination vaccine in the elderly with use in other age groups, this vaccine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are receiving hepatitis A and hepatitis B combination vaccine, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking the following:

• Anticoagulants (blood thinners) - Because hepatitis A and hepatitis B combination vaccine must be injected into a muscle, it may cause bleeding

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of hepatitis A and hepatitis B combination vaccine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Allergy to yeast - Hepatitis A and hepatitis B combination vaccine is made with yeast

• Bleeding problems or
• Low blood platelet count - Because hepatitis A and hepatitis B combination vaccine must be injected into a muscle, it may cause bleeding

• Hepatitis A or
• Hepatitis B - The vaccine will not work in patients who already have the disease

• Illness, moderate or severe, with or without fever - The vaccine should not be given until after the illness has cleared up

• Immune system problems - The vaccine may not work properly in patients with this condition