IN BRIEFPharmacies will determine what they charge, with experts estimating a private dose could cost up to $80.Experts warn people outside funded groups may weigh vaccination benefits against the price.<\/p>\n
Australians who have previously received COVID-19 vaccines for free could soon face an out-of-pocket cost, with experts warning price could become a barrier for some people who still stand to benefit from vaccination.<\/p>\n
From 1 October, COVID-19 vaccines will move into the routine National Immunisation Program (NIP), replacing the stand-alone National COVID-19 Vaccine Program established during the pandemic.<\/p>\n
Under the new arrangements, funded vaccination will be targeted at people considered most at risk of severe COVID-19, while those outside the eligibility criteria can choose to buy a vaccine privately.<\/p>\n
But there is currently no nationally set price for a privately purchased COVID-19 vaccine.<\/p>\n
The Department of Health told SBS News in a statement that private vaccine supply and pricing were commercial matters for manufacturers and providers, and that the government did not control private-market prices.<\/p>\n
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The Pharmacy Guild of Australia also said it was too early to give patients a reliable estimate of the total cost.<\/p>\n
“Without knowing the cost of buying the vaccine, it is impossible to provide a reliable indicative total cost to patients,” a spokesperson told SBS News.<\/p>\n
“Individual pharmacies will set their prices taking into account the cost of purchasing the vaccine and providing the vaccination service.” <\/p>\n
What might you have to pay?<\/p>\n
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Public Health Special Interest Group chair Dr Peter Markey said he expected privately purchased COVID-19 vaccines could cost between $30 and $80, although he stressed no price had yet been confirmed.<\/p>\n
He said the eventual cost would depend on individual pharmacies and encouraged people who wanted a vaccine to compare prices.<\/p>\n
“Let’s hope it’s not going to be too much more than the regular seasonal flu vaccine,” Markey said.<\/p>\n
READ MORE<\/p>\n
The Pharmacy Guild said COVID-19 vaccination would remain a core pharmacy service, with Australia’s 6,000 community pharmacies continuing to provide vaccinations.<\/p>\n
Could cost put people off?<\/p>\n
Professor Julie Leask, professor of Public Health at the University of Sydney’s Infectious Diseases Institute, said she supported the COVID-19 vaccine being normalised as part of the routine vaccination schedule.<\/p>\n
Her research through Australia’s National Vaccine Insights Survey, which surveys more than 2,000 adults each year, found cost was reported as a barrier by about a quarter of people who experienced difficulty getting a flu vaccine.<\/p>\n
Leask said an out-of-pocket COVID-19 vaccination could create a practical barrier for people who had to weigh the cost against other household expenses.<\/p>\n
READ MOREWho might still benefit?<\/p>\n
The government’s decision to fund COVID-19 vaccination for particular groups does not mean people outside those groups cannot benefit from vaccination.<\/p>\n
Professor Paul Griffin, an infectious diseases physician and clinical microbiologist, said there could be a large group of Australians in a “grey area” who do not meet the technical eligibility requirements but still have individual risk factors.<\/p>\n
That could include people with chronic lung, heart or metabolic conditions such as diabetes, particularly where multiple conditions are present.<\/p>\n
READ MORE<\/p>\n
Griffin also identified healthcare workers and residential aged-care workers as groups who may face greater exposure to COVID-19.<\/p>\n
People living with someone at higher risk, travellers and those concerned about long COVID-19 may also want to discuss the potential benefits of vaccination with their healthcare provider, he said.<\/p>\n
Markey similarly said people with chronic conditions, particularly chronic lung disease, could still have reason to consider vaccination despite not qualifying for a funded dose.<\/p>\n
But Griffin said the benefit was more limited for someone at very low risk of severe disease.<\/p>\n
He said people would now need to weigh the potential benefits of vaccination against both its possible side effects and the financial cost.<\/p>\n
Why are the rules changing now?<\/p>\n
The Department of Health said the shift reflected Australia’s transition from an emergency pandemic response to a long-term routine vaccination program.<\/p>\n
During the pandemic, vaccines were made free to everyone as part of the response to a newly emerging disease, when most Australians had little or no immunity.<\/p>\n
The government said many Australians had since been vaccinated or infected, building widespread protection across the community.<\/p>\n
Funding is now focused on those considered most likely to develop severe disease, with the eligibility criteria informed by advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation.<\/p>\n
The health department said COVID-19 vaccination remained the best way to protect against severe illness, hospitalisation and death.<\/p>\n
It’s not yet clear how many Australians will decide against vaccination because they have to pay, but Markey said some people would likely reconsider vaccination once a cost was attached. <\/p>\n
He said the overall public health impact was difficult to predict.<\/p>\n
Griffin expressed concern about the potential impact on people who remain at higher risk but fall outside the funded categories.<\/p>\n
“I think there’s going to be a really large number of people who are in that grey area,” he said.<\/p>\n
READ MORE<\/p>\n
Griffin also said authorities should monitor vaccination uptake alongside COVID-19 related hospitalisations and deaths once the new model begins.<\/p>\n
If particular groups were found to be under-vaccinated and experiencing worse outcomes, he said eligibility could potentially be reviewed and expanded.<\/p>\n
Leask said the government’s decision should not be interpreted as meaning COVID-19 vaccination was no longer important.<\/p>\n
She said the public should understand that the decision was based on an assessment of the vaccine’s benefits, risks and cost-effectiveness, but said the government should provide a clear explanation on why the funding arrangements were changing, particularly for people who had previously been able to access the vaccine for free.<\/p>\n
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