Hepatitis A vaccination for adults

Who this is recommended for

• Adults with chronic liver disease of any cause, including fatty liver disease and cirrhosis, in whom hepatitis A is far more dangerous
• Adults with hepatitis B or hepatitis C
• Younger adults and adolescents, in whom childhood immunity is now much less reliable than it used to be
• Travellers, including pilgrims, food handlers, and people in congregate living

Schedule

Either a single dose of the live attenuated vaccine, or two doses of an inactivated vaccine six to twelve months apart.

Timing

If you are over 30, we suggest an anti-HAV IgG blood test first. National seroprevalence data put immunity at about 97 per cent in this age group, so the test usually costs less than the course and often makes it unnecessary. Under 25 to 30 the yield of testing is lower and direct vaccination is reasonable.

What is available, and what we use

Counterintuitively, the single-dose live vaccine is the cheaper route as well as the simpler one, because the inactivated products need two doses. The inactivated course remains the right choice in pregnancy, in immunosuppression, and for anyone who prefers a non-live vaccine.

Product names and prices are listed so you know what you are being given and what it costs. They are for identification only and do not constitute a recommendation of any manufacturer. Prices shown are the manufacturer's maximum retail price per dose as at 12 August 2026; manufacturers and the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority revise these from time to time, and your actual cost is confirmed before anything is administered.

What we will not gloss over

• Testing first is our clinic policy based on Indian seroprevalence data, not a formal guideline recommendation. We will explain both options and you decide.
• The single-dose product is a live attenuated vaccine and is not suitable in pregnancy or significant immunosuppression. In those situations the inactivated two-dose course is used instead.