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Several studies have suggested a relation between exposure to the hepatitis B (HB) vaccine and an increase in the risk for adult-onset multiple sclerosis (MS). The resulting concern has led to low rates of HB vaccination in Europe. To examine the risk in children, researchers in France conducted a population-based case-control study. They compared exposure to HB vaccine among 143 patients diagnosed with MS before age 16 years and 1122 controls randomly selected from the general population and matched for age, sex, and area of residence. Family history of MS and other autoimmune diseases and exposure to HB vaccine (based on vaccination certificates) were similar in the two groups.
Exposure to HB vaccine was not associated with an increased ri…