More than 100 countries have added hepatitis B vaccination to their routine immunization programmes. Hepatitis B vaccines progressed from blood vaccines to recombinant vaccines, then to peptide vaccines and DNA vaccines, to their functions extended from prophylactic to therapeutic. This article analyzes the relationship between hepatitis B vaccine R＆D and the immunization programmes in different countries, to summarizes the R＆D of both prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines,and points out the direction for futare vaccine development.