What Should I Tell My Healthcare Provider?
- An immune-suppressing condition, such as HIV or AIDS, diabetes, or cancer
- Had any sort of a reaction to a vaccine
- A moderate or severe illness
- Any allergies, including to foods, dyes, or preservatives.
Also, let your healthcare provider know if you are:
- Pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant
- Breastfeeding.
Make sure to tell the healthcare provider about any medications you are taking, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
Specific Precautions and Warnings With Recombivax HB
Warnings and precautions to be aware of prior to receiving Recombivax HB include the following:
- You can receive Recombivax HB if you have a mild illness, such as the common cold. However, it is usually best to postpone the vaccine in the case of a moderate or severe illness.
- Make sure your healthcare provider knows if you have ever had any serious reactions to a vaccine before.
- If you have an immune-suppressing condition, Recombivax HB may not be as effective as usual in protecting against hepatitis B, as your immune system may not be fully capable of responding to the vaccine.
- Recombivax HB prefilled syringes contain latex. If you have a latex allergy, make sure the healthcare provider uses the vaccine from a vial instead, since the vials do not contain latex.
- Recombivax HB is considered a pregnancy Category C medication. This means it is unknown if it is safe for use during pregnancy (see Recombivax HB and Pregnancy).
- As with most vaccines, Recombivax HB is considered safe for breastfeeding women (see Recombivax HB and Breastfeeding).
- Recombivax HB does not contain thimerosal, a mercury-containing preservative. People who are concerned about exposure to this substance can be confident that this vaccine has no thimerosal -- not even trace amounts. Some people also are concerned about the aluminum content of vaccines. The vaccine contains 0.5 mg of aluminum per mL.
- This vaccine is not made from human fetal components or animal components, unlike some vaccines.
