3 for Life
The hepatitis B vaccine is safe and >95% effective in preventing HBV infection. Hepatitis B vaccination involves a series of 3 shots given over 6 months and can provide lifelong immunity against HBV. The hepatitis B vaccine is so effective at preventing HBV and liver cancer that the World Health Organization has declared it the world’s first “anti-cancer vaccine.” The usual schedule is as follows:
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control recommends hepatitis B vaccination for all infants at birth and previously un-vaccinated children up to 18 years of age.
Additionally, adult immunization is recommended for:
- Anyone seeking protection from the HBV infection
- Healthcare and public safety workers
- Household, sex, or needle-sharing contacts of persons infected with HBV
- Intravenous drug users
- Those with more than one sex partner
- Men who have sex with men
- Those infected with HIV and/or other sexually transmitted diseases
- Those with end-stage renal disease or chronic liver disease
- Travelers to regions where hepatitis B is common (Asia, Africa, South America, the Pacific Islands, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East)
