In patients who have severe thrombocytopenia or any coagulation disorder that would contraindicate intramuscular injections, HepaGam B™, Hepatitis B Immune Globulin (Human), should be given only if the expected benefits outweigh the potential risks.

HepaGam B™, Hepatitis B Immune Globulin (Human), is purified gamma globulin (IgG) fraction of human plasma. Products made from human plasma may carry a risk of transmitting infectious agents, e.g. viruses and, theoretically, the Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) agent. Individuals known to have severe, potentially life-threatening reaction to human globulin should not receive HepaGam B™ or any other immune globulin (Human). Individuals who are deficient in IgA may have the potential for developing IgA antibodies and have severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reactions.

The maltose contained in HepaGam B™ can interfere with some types of blood glucose monitoring systems. Only testing systems that are glucose-specific should be used in patients receiving HepaGam B. This interference can result in falsely elevated glucose readings that can lead to untreated hypoglycemia or to inappropriate insulin administration, resulting in life-threatening hypoglycemia.

HepaGam B™ must be administered only intramuscularly for post-exposure prophylaxis. Occasionally, the following adverse events may occur after IM administration of immune globulin products: chills, fever, headache, vomiting, allergic reaction, nausea, arthralgia and moderate low back pain.