Shop around for f lu vaccine, Kiwis urged

Paying double for a flu vaccine in the city compared with her local pharmacy or GP is a surprise Tania Macdonald doesn’t want others to face, but more people will need to pay this winter after funding cuts.

The flu vaccine is no longer free for children under 12 or for Māori and Pasifika people aged between 55 and 64. Everyone who is over 65, pregnant or has select medical conditions remains eligible.

Macdonald was outraged when her daughter was charged $65 at Life Pharmacy Merivale, in Christchurch, for a flu vaccine. She was given a lesser strength $50 option, whereas her local Life Pharmacy Rangiora charged only $30.

The North Canterbury woman’s daughter had to call her to put more money into her bank account to pay for it. No student discount was offered.

When Macdonald phoned the Merivale store, she was told the discrepancy was because it was owned by Green Cross Health. The Auckland-based corporate told her it advised retailers what to charge, but it was ultimately up to stores to set the prices. Greater competition would likely drive the price down.

Macdonald said she believed the flu vaccine was a public health measure, so she considered the pharmacy to be price gouging, which was “fundamentally wrong”.

“I’m pretty disgusted about the whole thing. Be careful where you send your kids.”

Almost directly opposite Life Pharmacy Merivale, Alabaster’s Merivale Pharmacy offers flu vaccines Tuesday to Saturday mornings for $25 – in line with Te Whatu Ora’s estimated price of between $25 and $45 for ineligible people. But prices elsewhere vary beyond that range.

In central Christchurch, Pharmacy Xtra on Moorhouse Ave offers a $45 flu vaccine, or the stronger dose for $69.90.

Pharmacist Richard Scoggins explained the two vaccines on offer in New Zealand this year both protect against the same strains, but one contains adjuvant – an ingredient that helps create a stronger immune response in people receiving the vaccine. The stronger one is not a funded option, so everyone would need to pay extra for it. It was targeted towards the over 65 group, he said.

It was normal to be offered two different vaccines. Generally, only the “larger pharmacies” ordered the stronger one in and “most people just go with the funded option”, Scoggins said.

Smaller pharmacies like his – Kendal Pharmacy in Burnside – offered the one option and would “have to be confident” it could sell the stronger doses to justify ordering them in. Franchise store Unichem charged $42 for a flu vaccine at its Wellington Central Pharmacy, greater than the $25 it charged at its east Christchurch store at Eastgate Shopping Centre. Its franchise store in Rolleston, southwest of Christchurch, charges $45.

General practice (GP) charges also vary. Both Chemist Warehouse and Bargain Chemist are undercutting the competition by charging $21.99 and $22.99 respectively at all their stores across the country.

Consumer NZ had not received any complaints about flu vaccinations, but given the “significant” price variation “we would recommend shopping around so you get the best possible price in your area”, a spokesperson said.

Te Whatu Ora recommends everyone over 6 months old get immunised against flu every year because the virus changes often, meaning the vaccine has to be tweaked to match the new strains to ensure the best protection.

The WellSouth Primary Health Network decided to fund free flu vaccines this year for Māori and Pasifika people aged 55 to 64 to support about 1000 people in Southland and Otago who would not otherwise have been eligible.

Medical director Dr Carol Atmore said the network saw the value of providing flu vaccines for this group.

“We looked at the percentages and funding available and have made the decision to fund the shortfall and ensure that [the] high needs group is covered this year.

“Whether you are eligible for a free vaccine or not, I strongly encourage everyone to get their flu vaccine – and their Covid booster if they are eligible – to keep ahead of getting sick this winter.”

The flu vaccine is available from April 1 each year, before winter starts.

Pharmac, which funds the flu vaccine, declined to comment because it did not have any oversight of the private market.

Green Cross Health and Life Pharmacy Merivale were approached for comment.