Hepatitis Vaccine

Davyhal

Hey guys,

Was just wondering about this today. I went for my annual check-up at the STI clinic this morning (better safe than sorry boys and girls!!) and as it was my first time attending the one in Ennis, I had to fill out the forms again. The staff were shocked that I had previously been for check-ups (previously I used to go to the GUMS clinic in Galway) but had never received the Hepatitis A & B vaccine. I told them I had Hepatitis A as a baby, so maybe that's why Galway never offered it to me as I had informed them of this. They told me that Galway should have given me the course of 3 injections anyways. So today I got the first jab and must return in a month for the 2nd.

I was saying this to my housemate and she was shocked for a different reason - She was shocked as she had to pay €200.00 to get the vaccine before she went to Africa working for six months. Is this vaccine only offered in the STI clinic to gay men, as she is a bi-sexual woman and was not offered it when she previously went? Or is this only a recent thing to start giving it for free?

ninty9er

It's a gay men thing. I've had the first 2, but I was also previously offered it as a regular first aider.

Steve!

Yeah you get 3 injections and a blood test after to check if the levels are appropriate and off you go on your merry way.

Miike

Would my GP be able to advise on getting the A + B Vaccinations without history of hepatitis? Can I electively get them and what are the costs also, are they available on the medical card? (Sorry for the barrage of questions!)

L1011

I have some memory that the Hep B vaccine is covered on GMS as a special service item but the Hep A isn't. Dunno if they'd cover Twinrix as being a B vaccine when it does both. This may have changed anyway.

I would guess they've decided that women are at a lower risk, presumably from their own figures.