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Prevention
and Vaccination > Hepatitis
B Vaccine > General Recommendations
General Recommendations
Standard
Schedule - Alternate
Schedule for Adolescents
Recommended Doses - Hepatitis
Vaccine Watch
In the U.S., there are two recombinant hepatitis
B vaccines that have been approved for use in
infants, children and adults. Both are equally
safe and effective.
These vaccines are synthetically prepared and
do not contain blood products - it is impossible
to get hepatitis B from this type of vaccine.
Standard
Schedule of Administration
The hepatitis B vaccine is an intramuscular
injection that is generally administered as a
three-dose series on a 0, 1, and 6 month schedule.
The recommended doses depend on the vaccine brand
and the person's age.
- 0 month - first dose of
vaccine given
- 1 month - second dose given
1 month after the first dose
- 6 month - third dose should
be given at least 2 months after the second
dose, and at least 4 months after the first
dose
Alternatively, Engerix-B (GlaxoSmithKline) is
approved to be administered on a four-dose schedule
at 0, 1, 2, and 12 months.
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Alternate
Schedule for Adolescents
There is a two-dose schedule of Recombivax HB
(Merck) that has been approved for children and
adolescents 11 through 15 years of age. Using
the two-dose schedule, the adult dose of Recombivax
HB is administered to this age group. After the
first dose is given, the second dose is given
4 to 6 months later.
Recommended
Doses of Approved HBV Vaccines
Print the handy CDC schedule of  Recommended
Doses of Approved HBV Vaccines as a useful
reference guide.
Visit
the Hepatitis Vaccine Watch
The Hepatitis B Foundation maintains a Hepatitis
Vaccine Watch to track information about
new vaccines for hepatitis A and B and those
that are in development worldwide.
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