How Much Does The Hpv Vaccine Cost

Who Is Eligible For The Free Hpv Vaccine

There are two free HPV vaccination programmes in England.

One is for children who are 12 to 13 years of age, and one is for men who have sex with men up to 45 years of age.

The HPV vaccine is offered on the NHS to people born after September 1, 2006.

It is first offered to girls and boys aged 12 and 13 in school, which is when the students will be in Year 8.

If you miss either of your HPV vaccine doses, speak to your school immunisation team or GP surgery and make an appointment to have the missed dose as soon as possible.

If you missed the HPV vaccine when you were 12 or 13, you can have it free on the NHS up until you turn 25 years old.

You should contact your GP surgery to make an appointment.

People who have the 1st dose of the HPV vaccine at 15 years of age or above will need to have three doses of the vaccine. This is because they do not respond as well to two doses as younger people do.

Men who have sex with men have not benefited in the same way from the first programme as it used to be only given to girls, so many have been left unprotected against HPV.

Since April 2018, MSM up to and including 45 years of age have been eligible for free HPV vaccination on the NHS when they visit sexual health clinics and HIV clinics in the UK.

Some transgender people are also eligible for the HPV vaccine.

Trans women are eligible for the HPV vaccine if their risk of getting HPV is similar to the risk of MSM who are eligible for the HPV vaccine.

How You Can Get Hpv

HPV which stands for Human Papillomavirus is a sexually transmitted virus that you can catch from an infected person through:

• sexual activity, including oral sex
• intimate skin-to-skin contact with an infected person

You don’t have to have intercourse to get HPV.

Without immunization, three out of four sexually active Canadians will be infected with HPV at some point in their lives.

Hpv Vaccination For Transgender People

Trans women are eligible in the same way as MSM if their risk of getting HPV is similar to the risk of MSM who are eligible for the HPV vaccine.

Trans men are eligible if they have sex with other men and are aged 45 or under.

If trans men have previously completed a course of HPV vaccination as part of the girls’ HPV vaccine programme, no further doses are needed.

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People Allergic To Vaccine

People who have had an adverse reaction to a previous HPV dose or to any ingredients of the HPV vaccine that has resulted in a life-threatening situation should stay away from the vaccine.

However, children who are mildly ill with a viral fever or common cold can still get the vaccine. In cases of moderate or severe illnesses, it is best to wait for the illness to subside before getting the vaccine administered.

Protecting Against Hpv Through Immunization

Health Canada has authorized three vaccines to prevent infections from the most common types of HPV: Gardasil®, Gardasil®9 and Cervarix® . All three vaccines are safe and very effective in preventing HPV infection and changes in the cells of the cervix related to these types of HPV.

Studies have found HPV vaccines to be safe. Other than a brief soreness at the injection site, participants reported few side effects. The vaccines cannot cause disease because they contain no live biologicals or DNA and are thus not infectious. Also, the vaccines do not contain any preservative or antibiotics, including thimerosal or mercury. It is important to note that Cervarix® contains a special new adjuvant/additive which studies have also shown to be safe.

If you are infected with one type of HPV you can still benefit from the HPV vaccine. It can protect you against other strains of the virus. Unfortunately, even if you are vaccinated, you are still at risk for some types of HPV not covered by the vaccine. It is important that women who receive the vaccine still have regular Pap tests and practice safer sex.

None of the HPV vaccines have an impact on an existing infection or any consequences of infection that you may already have. Talk to your doctor for more information.

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Do I Need To Get The Hpv Vaccine

Although it is not mandatory, it is highly recommended to receive the HPV vaccine to protect yourself against cancers and other potential heart problems related to HPV. Currently, only four U.S. jurisdictions require an HPV vaccination for schools: Rhode Island, Puerto Rico, Virginia, and Washington D.C., but the idea has been introduced in many others.

Hpv Vaccination For Men And Boys

Cervical cancer does not affect boys and men because they do not have a cervix but other cancers that can affect men such as cancer of the anus, penis, head and neck are also linked to infection with HPV types 16 and 18.

In addition, HPV types 6 and 11 are responsible for the majority of genital wart infections.

Vaccinating girls indirectly helps protect boys from these types of cancer and genital warts because vaccinated girls will not pass HPV on to them. This is known as “herd protection”.

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What Is The Hpv Vaccine

The hpv vaccine can help to protect against cervical, vulvar, vaginal, penile and anal cancer as well as against genital warts. These are serious conditions that can be prevented with proper planning, including early intervention. If you are interested in the hpv vaccine, a MinuteClinic® provider can talk to you about the benefits and risks of the vaccine and administer it if appropriate.

The human papillomavirus affects about 14 million people in the United States every year. There are more than 40 different kinds of hpv that can cause everything from warts to cancer. Nearly 80 million Americans are thought to suffer from one of these forms of hpv. The types of cancer that hpv can cause include cancers of the:

• Anus

What Risks Come With Taking The Hpv Vaccine

As with most vaccines, you may experience some side effects after getting the shot. In the case of Gardasil 9, the most common side effects are mild and include:

• Pain, redness, or swelling where the shot is given

• Fever

• Muscle pain

• Joint pain

If youre worried that the HPV vaccine could cause HPV, dont. Gardasil 9 doesnt actually contain the HPV virus. It only contains one small substance from it to help your immune system build antibodies against the virus.

Similarly, theres no evidence that getting the HPV vaccine negatively affects a persons fertility in the future. Its quite the opposite the HPV vaccine protects against potential fertility-related complications that certain cancers could cause.

As you evaluate pros and cons of the HPV vaccine, here are some important factors that may impact your decision to become vaccinated:

• If you are slightly sick , its OK to get the vaccination. But if your sickness is more moderate or severe, you should wait until youre feeling better to get the dose. That way, your immune system will be strong enough to respond to the vaccine.

• No one with a severe allergy to yeast should get Gardasil 9. Also, pregnant women should wait until theyre not pregnant anymore to get vaccinated.

• Anyone up to age 26 with lower immunity as a result of a condition is also encouraged to receive the HPV vaccine. If youre between 27 and 45 years of age, you can decide with your provider if the HPV vaccine is right for you.

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Conditions Caused By Hpv Infection

In girls, HPV infection can cause cancer of the:

• cervix

The HSE school vaccination teams will visit schools twice in students’ first year of secondary school.

Boys and girls will get 4 injections in total, 2 at each visit:

• Visit 1 from the end of September: HPV vaccine and Tdap vaccine.
• Visit 2 from March: HPV vaccine and MenACWY vaccine.

One vaccine is given in each arm.

School teams are restating clinics for school vaccinations from the end of September. The school teams know what students need to get their vaccines and will contact parents and guardians to offer vaccines to students.

Is The Hpv Vaccine Effective

This vaccine is highly effective in preventing four types of HPV in young women who have not been previously exposed to HPV. This vaccine targets HPV types that cause up to 70% of all cervical cancers and about 90% of genital warts. The vaccine will not treat existing HPV infections or their complications.

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Whats The Hpv Vaccine

The HPV vaccine helps protect you against certain types of HPV that can lead to cancer or genital warts. Also known by the brand name Gardasil 9, the HPV vaccine protects against:

• HPV types 16 and 18 the 2 types that cause 80% of cervical cancer cases.

• HPV types 6 and 11, which cause 90% of genital warts cases.

• Another 5 types of HPV that can lead to cancer of the cervix, anus, vulva/vagina, penis, or throat.

The HPV vaccine is given in a series of shots. For people ages 15-45, the HPV vaccine is 3 separate shots. The second shot is given 2 months after the first, and the third shot is given 4 months after the second shot. So, in all, it takes about 6 months to get all 3 shots.

For people ages 9-14, you only need to get 2 shots. The second shot is given 6 months after the first shot.

How Much Does The Hpv Vaccine Cost

Each dose of the vaccine can cost about $250. Luckily, many health insurance companies cover the HPV vaccine. There are also programs that help some people without insurance get the vaccine for low or no cost.

You deserve to be healthy, regardless of whether you have health insurance. Talk with the staff at your local Planned Parenthood health center or another nurse or doctor to get more information about ways to make the vaccine more affordable.

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Who Is Eligible For Free Hpv Vaccine

Under the National HPV Vaccination Program, girls and boys up to the age of 19 are eligible for two free doses of HPV vaccine. It is routine for vaccines to be given in school-based programs between ages 12 and 13, while general practices and primary health care clinics help older children catch up on vaccinations.

How Can I Help Protect Myself Against Hpv

Being vaccinated against HPV offers the best protection against the virus. Ideally, this should be before becoming sexually active, as you wont yet have come into contact with the virus. If you are sexually active, you will still benefit from the service, as the HPV vaccination will help protect against HPV infections in the future. However, it will have no effect on active infections and established or previous disease. It will also not prevent the possible development of disease if you are already infected with HPV.

In 2008 the HPV vaccination was introduced to the NHS Childhood Vaccination Programme and routinely offered to secondary school girls aged 12-13 . This programme has been extended to include secondary school boys aged 12-13 , from September 2019.

This vaccination offers protection against 4 HPV types, including the high risk types 16 and 18.

Boots recognise that some people may wish to consider vaccination against HPV, either for themselves or their children, but that they’re outside the age range of the NHS programme.

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What Happens At The Appointment

Does Health Insurance Pay For The Hpv Vaccines

Insurance plans will probably cover the HPV vaccine cost if it is given according to national guidelines. But check with your insurance plan to be sure.

The vaccines are included in the federal Vaccines for Children program. This program covers vaccine costs for children and teens who dont have insurance. The VFC program provides free vaccines to children and teens younger than 19 years of age, who are either Medicaid-eligible, American Indian or Alaska Native, or uninsured.

The VFC program also allows children and teens to get VFC vaccines through federally qualified health centers or rural health centers. For more on the VFC program or to find the VFC contact where you live, visit www.cdc.gov/vaccines/programs/vfc/contacts-state.html, or call 1-800-232-4636.

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About Our Hpv Service

The Boots HPV Vaccination Service is suitable for men and women aged 12 to 44 inclusive, subject to eligibility criteria.

Our new service offers protection against nine HPV types , and so helps protect against the virus types responsible for:

90% of cervical, 85-90% of vulvar and 80-85% of vaginal HPV related cancers in women

90% of HPV related anal cancers in men and women

90% of genital warts in men and women

Patients aged 12 to 14 require a course of two vaccinations. One on the first visit and the second between five and 13 months afterwards.

Patients aged 15 to 44 require a course of three vaccinations. One on the first visit, the second after two months and the third six months after the first appointment.

The service is offered by specially trained Boots pharmacists in selected Boots stores.

The service may be suitable for women and men you if you:

• Are aged 12-44
• Havent had an allergic reaction to any previous vaccination
• Feel well and dont have a high temperature on the day of your appointment

What Research Is Being Done On Strategies To Prevent Hpv Infection

If a single dose of HPV vaccine were effective, that would be an important advance. A large observational study using national data from women across Australia found that one dose of HPV vaccine was as effective as two or three doses in preventing high-grade cervical lesions . An analysis of data from a community-based clinical trial of Cervarix in Costa Rica, found that even one dose of the vaccine caused the body to produce approximately nine times more antibodies against HPV than the body produces in response to a natural HPV infection, and those antibody levels persisted for 11 years . In addition, the rates of HPV infection remained low for at least 10 years .

Two NCI-led clinical trials have been launched in Costa Rica to confirm and extend these findings. The ESCUDDO study, a randomized double-blind controlled trial involving 20,000 girls ages 1216 years, is testing whether one dose of either Cervarix or Gardasil 9 is as effective as two doses at preventing persistent cervical infection with HPV. PRIMAVERA-ESCUDDO, a non-randomized open-label trial, will provide earlier and complementary results to ESCUDDO about the immunogenicity of one dose of Cervarix in girls ages 914 years compared with three doses of Gardasil in women ages 1825 years.

Selected References

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What Does Gardasil Cost

Under the Affordable Care Act , the Gardasil 9 vaccine should be provided without cost for everyone in the recommended age groups by all covered private insurance plans and the insurance obtained through the health exchanges as of 2017. Changes to or repeal of the Affordable Care Act could result in changes to the vaccine benefit offered by insurance companies.

The vast majority of health insurance providers cover Gardasil 9, but that varies from company to company. Merck, the manufacturer of the vaccine, recommends contacting your insurer to ask whether it is covered, what restrictions there might be, how much you will have to pay, whether there are deductibles that apply, and if there is an annual coverage maximum that will apply.

Gardasil is covered under the VCF program, a federal program available to children through age 18 who are uninsured, Medicaid-eligible, American Indian, Alaska Native, or underinsured. This makes the vaccine free to eligible children. Those over age 18 may be covered by Medicaid, varying by state. In states where the Children’s Health Insurance Program is separate from Medicaid, the vaccine is covered. You may need to go to a public health clinic to get the vaccine if your healthcare provider is not enrolled as a VFC provider.

Merck has a patient assistance program and offers the vaccine at no cost for adults of ages 19 to 26 who do not have health insurance and cannot afford to pay for the vaccine.

Number Of Doses Needed

The HPV vaccine must be administered in several doses because it does not contain any live viruses. It instead contains proteins that the body must build up an immune response to rather, it’s a recombinant vaccine. The body needs several doses to produce the desired immunity. Many people do not go through with the total dosage. In a study done in 2012, only 33.4 percent of girls ages thirteen to seventeen had completed all recommended HPV doses.

For children ages eleven to twelve years old, the CDC recommends two doses of the HPV vaccine given six to twelve months apart. On average, this would mean that being fully vaccinated from HPV would cost $600. For those over the age of fifteen or with weakened immune systems, it is recommended to get three doses of the vaccine given six months apart. On average, this would mean that being fully vaccinated would cost $900.

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