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For a trip to South America in June, we will need yellow-fever vaccination. The travel clinics and doctor’s offices we tried claim there is a shortage on yellow-fever vaccine, and therefore the prices are 250+$ (plus the cost for the visit). I have found several articles about that shortage, it seems that the only producer is behind, and that won’t change before mid of 2018.

Are there cheaper US sources known for this vaccination?

I found that it is below 10$ in most South American and African countries, and often even completely free for walk-ins (for example in the Bogota airport), so it seems the high price is arbitrary. However, as it needs to be administered at least ten days before travelling, it is too late to do during the trip; and flying to Bogota or such in an extra trip is not any cheaper than paying the 250$ in the US.

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    I think you're witnessing the 'advantages' of the US free market health care system.
    – user67901
    Feb 8, 2018 at 8:15
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    According to wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/news-announcements/…, the only vaccine licenced in the US is YF-Vax, which is unavailable at present. Under some special programme, Stamaril is made available to a limited degree in the US. There is no global shortage in Stamaril, and the non-subsidized price for Stamaril in Europe is around $ 50.
    – chirlu
    Feb 8, 2018 at 11:17
  • The CDC has a complete list of clinics still having stocks of YF-Vax and of clinics providing Stamaril: wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellow-fever-vaccination-clinics/search Perhaps try some more in your wider area to see if there is a cheaper option among them.
    – chirlu
    Feb 8, 2018 at 11:22
  • Check your local county health department; it may have it and charge less.
    – Giorgio
    Feb 8, 2018 at 14:20
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    Also depending on where are you in USA, traveling to Canada/Mexico and getting it there might be cheaper than $250.
    – George Y.
    Feb 8, 2018 at 22:58

2 Answers 2

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Because the question seems to be very popular, I wrote up what we ended up doing.

No, there is no cheaper source within the US.

If you have any travel to another country, be it Europe, the Bahamas, South America, or Canada, get it there.

We ended up calling the whole list provided by the CDC, for 500 miles around us, and picked a spot about 2 hour drive away, as the overall cost of driving plus getting vaccinated were the minimum. Our appointment was on Saturday morning, and we combined it with some sightseeing; overall, we paid $205 per person; including all 'incidental costs' (they all charge extra for the 'doctors visit' itself, the verbal 'instruction session', plus the 'qualified execution' of the vaccination).

I think there is no better alternative currently.

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No, there isn't a cheaper source for the yellow fever vaccine in the US as of 2018. You may try traveling to Canada or Mexico for a cheaper option, although the cost of travel might be higher than the savings on the vaccine in this case.

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