Hepatitis B Vaccine Recombinant (Systemic)

Brand Names : Engerix-B, Recombivax HB, Recombivax HB Dialysis Formulation, HB vaccine

Before Receiving This Vaccine

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

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this vaccine or to the hepatitis B vaccine made from human plasma. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods (especially yeast). The vaccine is made by using yeast; persons allergic to yeast may also be allergic to the vaccine.

Pregnancy - Studies on effects in pregnancy have not been done in either humans or animals. However, the vaccine is not expected to cause problems during pregnancy.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether hepatitis B vaccine passes into the breast milk. However, the vaccine is not expected to cause problems in nursing babies.

Children - Hepatitis B vaccine has been tested in newborns, infants, and children and, in effective doses, has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems than it does in adults. The vaccine strength for use in dialysis patients has been studied only in adult patients, and there is no specific information about its use in children receiving dialysis.

Adolescents - Hepatitis B vaccine is very effective when administered to adolescents and young adults. It is recommended that all adolescents who have not previously received three doses of hepatitis B vaccine should start or complete the vaccine series at 11 to 12 years of age. Hepatitis B vaccine has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems in adolescents and young adults than it does in other age groups.

Older adults - This vaccine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults. However, persons over 50 years of age may not become as immune to the virus as do 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. Tell your health care professional if you are using any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.

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

• Allergic reaction to hepatitis B vaccine, history of - Use of hepatitis B vaccine is not recommended