How do we determine the price of influenza vaccination?

On November 25, in Urayasu City, Chiba Prefecture, we are wary of landing of the H1N1 influenzaCountermeasure headquarters establishedIt is already in Osaka and Yamanashi prefecturesWarning level exceededIt seems that the influenza season has arrived this year, as there are areas. Even those who are pride that they are sensitive to the epidemic on a daily basis, they just want to go through this epidemic.

Even at GIGAZINE's editorial department, I was vaccinated with influenza vaccine, but I felt it was "higher than last year" due to immunization and I was concerned about how the vaccination price was decided Is not it?

This time, I actually asked the doctor how to determine the price of influenza vaccination.

Details are as below. As many of you know, vaccination is not covered by health insurance, so the price varies depending on the medical institution.

Usually people buying shop searching for the cheapest shop is not advertising such as "Regional cheap! Vaccination inoculation 4000 yen!" And so on, so do not know until you receive it, or in a review It is a situation I have no choice but to rely on.

Although there is something like guidelines by each prefectural medical association, interviews with doctors by e-mail to the doctor about the fact that the actual vaccination price is actually determined because the part by discretion of each medical institution is large I tried.

The questions and answers are as follows.

GIGAZINE (hereinafter abbreviated as G):
Is the price different depending on the type of vaccine? Is the mixture high?

Doctor A:
There is only one type of vaccine in Japan. Essentially, every company uses the same hemagglutinin antigens by cultivating a country-specific virus strain. I do not know the meaning of mixing, none is a mixed vaccine of two strains of type A and one strain of type B virus.

G:
What is the difference between manufacturers? Is there a generic (generic drug)?

A:
There seems to be slight differences in the amount of preservatives and stabilizers depending on the manufacturer, but there should not be much difference about the effect. I do not know the existence of generics.

G:
Is it purchasing purchase like other chemicals? Can I return it? (Because the risk of hospital risk seems to be large because vaccines can not be accepted by prescription pharmacies)

A:
It depends on the company.

G:
What is the price fluctuation of the purchase price depending on supply-demand balance?

A:
In the past, things happened but now they are being supplied steadily.

G:
What is the lifetime of the vaccine? If this year's surplus, can not you use next year?

A:
can not use.

G:
What are things like the inventory clearance sale at the end of the season (both medicine wholesale price and price determined by hospital)?

A:
I have never heard of it.

G:
Even those who are at high risk of infection are prices together?

A:
Together.

G:
Although it is said that the dose of vaccine is different between children and adults, is the price together?

A:
Together.

G:
Is there no case that insurance is applied? (Example: AIDS patients, pregnant women, etc.)

A:
There is none. However, there are subsidies by local governments in the elderly and others.

G:
How much of the price is decided at the discretion of the hospital?

A:
It is a company secret.

G:
What are the points such as inquiries before injection? Do you take that money if you measure the heat?

A:
It is also included in the inoculation fee in bulk.

G:
Although it is OK in general, how big is the difference between the highest price and the cheapest price?

A:
I can not understand a bit.

G:
What is the outbreak prediction of this year? How is the number of people receiving immunization and the number of patients compared to the usual year?

A:
There seems to have been no positive cases at the time of testing 4 cases at a certain facility. The number of inoculated people is almost the same as last year. It will differ in facilities and areas. There is a difference in the amount of assistance by the municipality.

G:
Is there a correlation between the number of vaccines shipped (number vaccinated) and the epidemic level of that year (number of infected people, death toll)?

A:
I do not think there is clear evidence (evidence) at the moment.

G:
Please tell me about the recommended preventive method from today.

A:
It is to avoid unnecessary going out. To ensure heat retention, nutrition and sleep. Gargle and hand washing are important. The mask will be useful because it does not smoke dry cold. It is not as close as possible to those who are coughing or sneezing. Also, those people should mask.

G:
By the way, why is the influenza injection so painful?

A:
The pain is different for each person. Some people said they did not hurt at all.


As I thought, the guard seemed to be hard for the price, so I could not tell you any concrete figures, but further examination on the net,Case that adults pay 2000 yen including taxes, and children receive 2,000 yen by inoculation twiceAnd, even cheaperAdult 1500 yen, Child 1200 yenThere seems to be a case also. According to another doctor, the cost is between 1,200 and 1,300 yen this year.

By the way, even if you go to reception after listening to the reputation "This hospital is cheap", it may take the first medical examination at the hospital for the first time, so it seems that it is often cheaper to receive it at your medical institution.

Apart from those who are "Lucky because we can take a rest from school", "Welcome to be paid, we welcome you!" Considering the low probability of infection and the speediness of infection when infected, I feel that it is never expensive shopping. People who do not receive vaccinations at workplaces, etc. may ask a family doctor to ask "Take me how much it costs?"

For the basic knowledge of influenza etc., the following sites are detailed.

Influenza information service: Introduction of prevention law, basic knowledge etc. from the latest flu epidemic situation of influenza