HEPATITIS B VACCINE SHORTAGE: IMPLICATIONS AND ADVICE FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE
Public Health England publishes hepatitis B vaccine recommendations and dose sparing advice for pre and post exposure immunisation and boosting
Currently, hepatitis B vaccine is in short supply in the United Kingdom (UK); until normal vaccine supply resumes, health professionals should consider alternative vaccines, prioritisation and dose sparing.
Public Health England provides additional advice for healthcare workers providing information on hepatitis B vaccination for adults and children who travel abroad:
Public Health England. Hepatitis B vaccination in adults and children: temporary recommendations
Health Professionals are advised that this temporary advice is not absolute and requires some clinical judgement and a detailed individual risk assessment.
Advice is subject to change and will be updated as further information becomes available.
In addition, health professionals should note that the hepatitis B chapter of Immunisation against infectious disease (the Green Book) has been updated in light of the introduction of hexavalent combination vaccine (diphtheria/tetanus/acellular pertussis/ inactivated polio vaccine/Haemophilus influenzae type b/hepatitis B) into the routine infant immunisation programme from autumn 2017.