I'm £300 out of pocket for healthcare I can't receive

[ThirteenPicnicBaskets]

I'm in a right state about this, please help.

I decided to book a HPV vaccination via Lloyds Pharmacy Online Doctor. I am not eligible to have it on the NHS as I'm slightly too old, straight and don't identify as a man, but I'd still like to take reasonable steps to protect myself from cervical cancer. It was a bit of a kick in the wallet, but I thought it was something good to do for myself to give me peace of mind.

They accepted my booking, allowed me to select my local pharmacy as venue, did a suitability questionnaire, all good. Payment was taken upfront, paid by credit card.

When I came to book the appointment, my local pharmacy was suddenly not listed as offering the service. I booked one in a pharmacy in the next town over instead. Then, the pharmacy called me to say that all Lloyds pharmacies in Sainsburys are closing in the near future, and since the vaccine is given in 2 doses, they can't do it - you have to have both in the same place.

There are no other pharmacies offering it for miles around. Public transport is unreliable around here and I can't drive, so I'm not sure how I'm supposed to receive what I've paid for. I've contacted them about getting a refund but they don't seem to be responding to messages. The T&Cs say that once you've had the suitability assessment, you have 'no legal right' to a refund - that can't be the case, surely? I haven't received a service, and they advertised it as being available in multiple locations where it clearly isn't.

Do I have any options to get my money back? I can't just write off £300. I wish I'd gone somewhere else.

And it causes, not just cervical cancer, but many cancers in men too. Head, neck, throat, penile, anal... but for what ever reason, they only vaccinated females for a significant amount of time.

That’s not the issue here it’s the service not being available.

Thanks for responses. Appreciated.

I mentioned my age, sex and (lack of) gender identity to clarify why I'm not eligible for a NHS one. I explored that route first, they said no.

Re. men - it was not previously offered to men (except MSM) as they are thought to enjoy blanket protection from most of the younger female population having had it. Now girls and boys are offered it in school, which I think is a good thing.

Why I think it's a good idea for me - I have been carnally known by man and am no virgin, but I'm currently HPV negative and on 3-yearly smear tests, started dating again after a long time, and didn't want it to be something playing on my mind. Most people will have been exposed by their late 20s, but not all. Ideally, I would like the NHS to run a catch-up for 'older' women (we're only in our 30s, hardly ancient) but they've probably put it into the cost-benefit calculator and it doesn't work out as worthwhile. At least, I'd like to think it's just cost-driven and not a case of medical misogyny.

It's not irrelevant, you just didn't understand the point. Which was that, if OP went in and said she identified as a man, she would be entitled to the vaccine. As she doesn't identify as anything, she is not entitled, which is why she had to go private, which is the topic of the thread.

If you don't understand a thread, just ask. No need to embarass yourself by asserting there is no point because you couldn't grasp the point.

I had to giggle at ‘carnally known’ OP. But yes, credit card chargeback.

Carnally known 🤣

Which was that, if OP went in and said she identified as a man, she would be entitled to the vaccine.

Thats ridiculous though, I assume the extension to offer to men is because of the transmission risk sexually active unvaccinated men pose to women, which isn’t the case for the OP given they’re a sexually actively female. The vaccine should be offered to women on the same basis it is to men, otherwise we end up in a confusion of gender identity nonsense.

Identifying as a man doesn’t change anyone’s biology, so surely a woman should be able to access HPV vaccination in her own right.

Of course it's ridiculous. Of course OP should be able to get the vaccine if another women her age can get it (if they ID as a man). But she can't.

Yes, just do a chargeback. CC companies are great at this and no it doesn't affect your credit or anything like that. You just get your money back and that's it. The CC company will likely want to see some evidence that you've asked for a refund and not got a response, so keep your emails.

What a strange post

you can’t get the vaccine free if you UF as a man

pretty sure consumer law would back you in a refund. Do a chargeback and go from there.

ask your GP if they are giving it privately and if you can pay there.

Apologies OP I have found it on the NHS page.

your GP should give it for free then.

I think as others have suggested best way is to contact your credit card provider. I had to do this once for a service I never received and it was really quick.

I thought there was no point in having the vaccine if you have been "carnally known" as you may already carry the virus.

Can you carry HPV and still test negative?

Why are you speaking in riddles ? 😳

I think it's because of the NHS info, if you look at the section on vaccine for transgender people, it looks like it's offered up to age 45.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/hpv-human-papillomavirus-vaccine/

Fk if I'd known that, I think I might have temporarily identified as a man.

How ridiculous.

How are transmen more likely to be affected than women, I'm not sure I get it.

Credit card refund or are you sure there's nowhere you could combing a day out to that has a Lloyds still operating and offering the service.

*combine

I think she's perfectly clear and just has a wry/ironic sense of humour.

Yes, I think it's called dormant or something to that effect.

It's offered up to 45 if youre willing to pay or meet certain criteria and it's most people are not virgins by 45 so someone somewhere must reckon there's still a potential benefit.

Is it possible you may have been infected with one of more strain but not others, so it's still worth vaccinating?

My gynecologist told me that if you test negative that doesn't necessarily mean you don't have HPV, just that you're not shedding the virus at the time you're tested.

In the US it is recommended for boys and girls at age 13 and for anyone who has not been sexually active at ages above that. It is covered by most insurance policies like other vaccinations (chickenpox, influenza, etc.)
It is available for anyone, but as some posters have said, if you have already been exposed it will not be effective for that strain.

Those who identify as male get it for free as do gay men. Men who have sex with other men get it for free. Women who have sex with men have to pay.