Recombivax HB Dosage

Your healthcare provider will recommend a Recombivax HB dose based on how old you are, your vaccination history, and other factors. For most adults, the standard schedule consists of three injections that are given within a six-month period. If you have a mild illness, you can still get vaccinated; however, if you are moderately to severely ill, you should postpone your dose.

Recombivax HB Vaccine Information

Dosing With Recombivax HB: An Introduction

The dosage of Recombivax HB^® (hepatitis B vaccine) your healthcare provider recommends will vary, depending on the following factors:

Your age
Your previous vaccination history
Your kidney function, especially if you are on dialysis.

The adult formulations of this vaccine, including the formulation for people on dialysis, will not be available in 2009, due to a hepatitis B vaccine shortage. The manufacturer expects to resume making the adult versions in 2010.

Other options for adults needing a hepatitis B vaccine include Engerix-B^® (another hepatitis B vaccine) or Twinrix^® (a vaccine for hepatitis B and hepatitis A). The pediatric formulation of Recombivax HB should not be given to adults or dialysis patients, as this could deplete the supply of the vaccine available for children.

Scheduling Recombivax HB Dosages for Children and Teens

For most children and teens (age 0 through 19 years of age), the standard schedule for Recombivax HB consists of three injections of 5 mcg/0.

5 mL each. The second one is given one month after the first, and the third is given six months after the first dose of Recombivax HB. Infants can (and generally should) be given the first dose shortly after birth, ideally while still in the hospital.

Alternatively, adolescents age 11 through 15 years can be given just two dosages (10 mcg/1 mL each), with four to six months between injections.

(Recombivax HB Dosage Continued: Page 2)