When did hepatitis B vaccine become available?
The first hepatitis B vaccine became commercially available in the United States in 1982. In 1986, a hepatitis B vaccine produced by recombinant DNA technology was licensed, and a second recombinant-type hepatitis B vaccine was licensed in 1989. The two recombinant DNA vaccines (Recombivax HB and Engerix-B) are the only hepatitis B vaccine preparations currently used in the United States. (There are additional products licensed in the U.S. that contain these vaccines in combination with other vaccines.) Who should get this vaccine? Hepatitis B vaccine, usually a three-dose series, is recommended for all children 0-18 years of age. It is recommended for infants beginning at birth in the hospital. All older children who did not get all the recommended doses of hepatitis B vaccine as an infant should complete their vaccine series as soon as possible. Most states require hepatitis B vaccine for school entry. Adolescents who are just starting their series will need two or three doses, depen
