Haemophilus b Conjugate/Hepatitis B Vaccine, Injection

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KEY POINTS

• This medicine is given by injection to protect children from 6 weeks to 15 months old against haemophilus b disease and hepatitis B virus.
• This medicine may cause unwanted side effects. Tell your healthcare provider if your child has any side effects that are serious, continue, or get worse.
• Tell all healthcare providers who treat your child about all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that your child takes.

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What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: vaccine

Generic and brand names: haemophilus B conjugate/hepatitis B vaccine, injection; Comvax

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is given by injection (shots) to protect children from 6 weeks to 15 months old against haemophilus b (Hib) disease and hepatitis B virus.

What should my healthcare provider know before I take this medicine?

Before taking this medicine, tell your healthcare provider if your child has ever had:

• An allergic reaction to any medicine or vaccine
• An allergic reaction to latex or to yeast
• A bleeding disorder, or if you currently take medicines that reduce the chance of blood clots forming
• A weakened immune system from cancer treatment, diseases such as HIV/AIDS, or from taking steroid medicines or medicines to prevent organ transplant rejection
• Vaccinations for hepatitis B in the past

If your child is severely ill at the time the shot is scheduled, wait until your child recovers before getting this vaccine. If your child has a mild cold or other mild infection, he or she may still be able to get the shot. Tell your healthcare provider if your child currently has a fever or infection of any kind.

Females of childbearing age: This medicine is not usually given to pregnant women. Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby.

How do I use it?

The shots are given by your healthcare provider. Generally, 3 shots are given at 2, 4, and 12 to 15 months of age. If a dose is missed, get the missed shot as soon as possible. If your child does not receive the full series of vaccines, he or she may not be fully protected against the disease.

What should I watch out for?

It is very important to get all shots on schedule to provide protection from these serious diseases. Keep all appointments for injections and checkups.

There may be temporary redness, tenderness, and swelling where the shot was given. Also, this medicine may cause a mild fever of 100 to 102°F, or 37.8 to 38.9°C. If the fever continues after 2 or 3 days, or gets worse, contact your healthcare provider.

If you need emergency care, surgery, lab tests, or dental work, tell the healthcare provider or dentist you have received this medicine.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, this medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as the body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your healthcare provider if your child has any side effects that continue or get worse.

Life-threatening (Report these to your healthcare provider right away. If you are unable to contact your healthcare provider right away, get emergency medical care or call 911 for help): Allergic reaction (hives; itching; rash; tightness in your chest; swelling of your lips, tongue, or throat; trouble breathing).

Serious (Report these to your healthcare provider right away.): High fever; seizures; fast heartbeat; collapse; fainting; loss of alertness.

Other: Diarrhea; vomiting; mild fever; redness, swelling, or pain at the spot where an injection has been given; tiredness; loss of appetite; irritability.

What products might interact with this medicine?

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Nonprescription medicines, vitamins, natural remedies, and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider if your child is taking:

• Cancer medicines such as cisplatin, hydroxyurea (Droxia, Hydrea), vinblastine, vincristine (Marqibo), and others
• Corticosteroids such as dexamethasone, hydrocortisone (A-Hydrocort, Cortef), methylprednisolone (Medrol, Solu-Medrol), and prednisone (Prednisone Intensol), and others
• Everolimus (Afinitor, Zortress)
• Immunosuppressants such as azathioprine (Azasan, Imuran), basiliximab (Simulect), cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune), mycophenolate (CellCept, Myfortic), and others
• Medicines to treat psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other immune disorders such as adalimumab (Humira), anakinra (Kineret), belimumab (Benlysta), leflunomide (Arava), and others
• Methotrexate (Otrexup, Rasuvo, Rheumatrex, Trexall)
• Multiple sclerosis medicines such as fingolimod (Gilenya), natalizumab (Tysabri), teriflunomide (Aubagio), and others
• Radiation therapy

Keep a record of all vaccines received and when they were received.

If you are not sure if your child's medicines might interact, ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider. Keep a list of all your child's medicines with you. List all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that your child takes. Be sure that you tell all healthcare providers who treat your child about all the products your child is taking.

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This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.