Vaccination

Any Doctor in Canberra must provide it to you free of charge if you fall between the age bracket.

Went to my doc the other day to get it – was told it wasn’t available in Canberra until August 1st. Kinda glad my appointment wasnt ONLY for the vaccine. Otherwise I would have been pissed off to pay $70 for my Saturday consult only to be told to come back 3 weeks later.

The vaccine comprises of 3 shots. And for those of you turning 26 soon, as long as your first shot is before your 26th Birthday the rest are still fee.

Pap smears are still required even if you have had the vaccine.

Canberra Sexual Health Centre at Woden is likely to be a good shot for nix and easier to get into than the doctor. See this website though they’ve nothing on the HPV vaccine specifically.

http://health.act.gov.au/sexualhealth

Incidentally I think its sort of been lost in the wash but the vaccine is against the human papilloma virus or genital warts but as I understand it (courtesy the above centre) if you’ve had sex with 2 or more people in recent years the chances are you’ve been exposed to the HPV virus and pap smears are a reality to be dealt with. Further, and I guess it comes back to cost more than anything, but it would make sense to vaccine men too cause warts don’t spread themselves!

Dr Smee rocks.

Bulk billing 7.5 minute consultation express lane checkout doctors certificate factory.

AD, apparently it’s like $400 for the first shot and you have to have like 2.

My doctor advised me that it will be medicare rebated for people over 26.

Phillip Medical & Dental Centre. They bulk-bill with a medicare card. I think there’s an equivalent centre in Belconnen somewhere.

Gardasil has not been proven effective in clinical trials for females aged over 26 years, and this is why it isn’t available to them for free.

A new vaccine called Cervarix has now been approved by the Therapeutic Goods Adminstration for women aged 10-45 years, making it the first cervical cancer vaccine in Australia available for women over the age of 26 years. Unfortunately, it’s not free yet, although I believe the company has applied to have it added to our National Immunisation Program.

G’day All

I thought that the folliowing may be of interest.

Troy
Liberal Candidate for Fraser

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AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT FUNDS GARDASIL

29 November 2006
ABB155/06

The Commonwealth Government will fund the cervical cancer vaccine, Gardasil®, for girls and women aged 12 to 26 from 2007.

Gardasil® will be put on the National Immunisation Program on an ongoing basis for 12 to 13 year old girls to be delivered through schools. The Government will also fund a two year catch-up program for 13 to 18 year old girls in schools and 18 to 26 year old women to be delivered through GPs.

The expected cost of the vaccine is $436 million between 2006-07 and 2009-10.

The initial submission from the vaccine’s maker, CSL, was considered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) in early November. At that time the PBAC was unable to recommend funding of Gardasil due to concerns about its cost-effectiveness.

Given the possibility of introducing an immunisation program through schools in 2007, I asked the PBAC to consider a revised submission from CSL at an extraordinary meeting. I would like to thank the PBAC for agreeing to this unusual request.

CSL agreed to reduce the price of Gardasil and provided the PBAC with additional information about its long-term effectiveness. CSL has undertaken to make a substantial contribution to any booster program if it becomes necessary in the next 20 years and to the costs of setting up a national register to link vaccination data to later cervical screening records. The PBAC found that Gardasil is cost-effective at the new price offered.

All the usual PBAC processes have been undertaken in the consideration of the revised submission for Gardasil. The accelerated timeframe for consideration has not compromised the quality of the decision-making process.

The Commonwealth Government calls on state and territories governments to make every effort to ensure that arrangements are in place to implement a school-based immunisation program in 2007. We will also work with doctors’ groups to establish processes for vaccinations for eligible women who are no longer at school.

Further information is available in the fact sheet online on the
Department of Health & Aging Website
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Sure is. Costs $150 per injection and you need three over 6 months (some claimable if you’ve got private health).

Will call Dr Smee, ta.

apparently it is very expensive if you are over 26

Try Dr Smee in Dickson