1 May 2026Vaccines, immunoglobulins and antisera

Hepatitis B vaccine

Hepatitis B vaccine guidance covering birth dose, standard schedules, and accelerated schedules when rapid protection is needed.

This guide page is for structured reference only and does not replace a clinician, pharmacist, or emergency review. Dose choice, route choice, interactions, and safety decisions still need professional judgment.

Indications

Prevention of hepatitis B.

Composition, forms, route of administration

Recombinant hepatitis B vaccine.
Suspension for injection in monodose or multidose vial, for IM injection into the anterolateral part of the thigh in children under 2 years and into the deltoid muscle in children 2 years and over.
Do not administer into the gluteal muscle.

Dose and vaccination schedule

Dosage varies according to age and type of vaccine used: follow manufacturer's instructions.

Child: one dose equals 5 to 10 micrograms.

Adult: one dose equals 10 to 20 micrograms.

Standard schedule

Neonate and infant: one dose as soon as possible after birth, preferably within the first 24 hours of life, then a second dose at 6 weeks and a third dose at 14 weeks.
Alternative neonatal schedule: one birth dose then 3 doses administered 4 weeks apart, with the first at 6 weeks, the second at 10 weeks, and the third at 14 weeks.
Child, adolescent, adult: schedule 0-1-6.

Accelerated schedule

When rapid protection is required, for example in post-exposure prophylaxis: 2 doses 4 weeks apart, then a third dose 6 months after the first dose.
Another accelerated schedule: 3 doses during the same month on D0, D7, and D21, then a fourth dose one year after the first dose.

Contra-indications, adverse effects, precautions

Do not administer in the event of allergic reactions to a previous dose of hepatitis B vaccine.
Vaccination should be postponed in the event of severe acute febrile illness; minor infections are not contra-indications.
May cause minor local reactions such as pain or redness at the injection site, fever, headache, myalgia, and rarely anaphylactic reaction.
If administered simultaneously with other vaccines, use different syringes and injection sites.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: no contra-indication.
At birth, use only the monovalent hepatitis B vaccine.
If an infant was not administered the birth dose, it can be given at the first contact with health-care providers up to the time of the next dose of the primary schedule.
If the schedule is interrupted, continue from where it stopped and complete the series as normal.
SC route may be used only if IM route is contra-indicated.
Shake before use to homogenise the vaccine.

Source

MSF Essential drugs practical guidelines (January 2026)

This page reproduces the structured reference information for this batch while leaving out the Storage and Remarks sections.

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