Hep-V Vax

Hep-V Vax refers to the hepatitis B vaccine utilized in the Qidong Hepatitis B Intervention Study (QHBIS), a landmark cluster-randomized controlled trial initiated in 1983 in Qidong, China. The study, which has involved long-term follow-up by the University of Oxford and local Chinese health authorities, was designed to evaluate the efficacy of neonatal hepatitis B vaccination in preventing chronic HBV infection and its long-term sequelae, specifically primary liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma) and other chronic liver diseases. The vaccine administered in the trial was initially a plasma-derived hepatitis B vaccine, given in a three-dose regimen (at 0, 1, and 6 months of age), with some cohorts receiving an additional booster. By inducing active immunity against the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), the vaccine prevents the establishment of chronic carrier status, which is the primary risk factor for liver cancer in high-prevalence regions. This study provided the first definitive evidence that neonatal vaccination can significantly reduce the incidence of liver cancer decades later.

Other names

Hepatitis B vaccineHBV vaccineQidong Hepatitis B Intervention Study vaccine