Chemists Cash In Charging Up To £ 475 To Vaccinate Teens Against HPV Virus

Chemists charge up to £ 475 to vaccinate teens against the HPV virus that causes cancer, in anticipation of an imminent race for bites.

Starting in September, UK boys will be vaccinated against the human papillomavirus the eighth grade at school, at the age of 12 or 13 years old.

But it is estimated that two million older boys will miss the vaccination program – to the fury of health activists.

Many street chemists offer private vaccinations, but charge up to £ 475 for a three-course course, which, according to experts, makes it unaffordable for all families, with the exception of richer.

When the vaccine was first offered to girls in the eighth grade in 2008, the NHS set up a temporary "catch-up" program, offering the vaccine to all girls under the age of 18, to ensure maximum coverage.

But they refused to introduce a similar catch-up program for boys, which means that even 13-year-olds in grade nine will not miss this opportunity.

Experts estimate that HPV causes about 2500 cases of cancer in men each year and about 650 deaths, mainly cancers of the throat and mouth. Peter Baker, from the HPV Action charity, said last night: "This is a big problem. Vaccines are available privately, but most people will be charged. They will not be able to afford it or will not even know it is available. This creates inequalities. "

Most clinics report that adolescents 14 years of age or younger receive two HPV injections over several months, and those 15 years of age and older receive three.

Lloyds Pharmacy offers three jabs for £ 429, Superdrug charges £ 300 for two injections or £ 450 for three, and Boots charges £ 330 for two injections or £ 475 for three. Even NHS hospitals, such as the Royal Free in Hampstead, North London, charge £ 155 per injection in private.

The injection has an official NHS price list of between £ 80 and £ 105 per jab – although the government has negotiated a substantial but confidential discount. The introduction of the age-restricted HPV program may create a rush for private vaccination later this year when parents realize that their children are not eligible for bites.

Over the last decade, all schoolgirls have been vaccinated against HPV in order to fight against cervical cancer, a measure supposed to save 500 lives per year. Boys were not initially included in the immunization program, but the government changed course early in the year on the advice of the Joint Committee on Immunization and Immunization.

The vaccine is given to teenagers in early adolescence so that they develop an immune response long before they become badually active.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Health said: "Parents should be rebadured that an expert opinion is that a catch-up program for older boys does not help them." Is not necessary because they will continue to benefit greatly from the indirect protection – built from ten years 'successful vaccination program'.

But Matt Case, Cancer Research UK, was not in agreement. "HPV is linked to several types of cancer in humans, so it is disappointing that the government does not plan to propose a catch-up program," he said.

Boots UK said: "Most of the cost of [HPV vaccine] the service must cover the administration of the vaccine and VAT. The rest is to pay the time needed by the pharmacist to provide the service. "Said Superdrug:" We are constantly reviewing the pricing of our immunization services with vaccine manufacturers. "