The first hepatitis B (Hep B) vaccine was introduced in the early 1980s, with the first commercial plasma‑derived vaccine licensed in 1981–1982.
Key dates
- 1981: A plasma‑derived hepatitis B vaccine was first licensed for use in the United States.
- 1982: The first hepatitis B vaccine became commercially available worldwide; it consisted of purified surface antigen (HBsAg) from the plasma of people with chronic hepatitis B infection.
- 1986: The first recombinant (genetically engineered) hepatitis B vaccines, such as Recombivax HB, were licensed and began to replace the older plasma‑derived products.
