Hepatitis B Vaccine
Hepatitis B is a serious disease caused by a virus that attacks the liver. The virus, which is called hepatitis B virus (HBV), can cause lifelong infection, cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver, liver cancer, liver failure, and death. Hepatitis B vaccine is available for all age groups to prevent hepatitis B virus infection. Over 5,000 people die every year from hepatitis B-related liver disease.
The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) was developed by the government to report vaccine reactions. Many experts believe that only 10% of the adverse reactions are reported, though, as law does not mandate reporting.
Even with only 10% of the problems being reported, there were nearly 25,000 VAERS hepatitis B reports from July 1990 to October 1998, showing 439 deaths and 9673 serious reactions involving emergency room visits, hospitalization, disablement or death. There are also findings of brain edema in healthy infants who die very soon after receiving hepatitis B vaccine.
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