The cases of tick-borne encephalitis have increased steadily, and at the same time, the services offering tick vaccines are also expanding.
Tick vaccination business expanding rapidly. In recent years, several new actors have entered the field, offering more creative solutions for vaccinating against tick-borne encephalitis.
Stella’s nurse, who offers home services, can be ordered for a vaccination visit at home, the health service company 9Lives has been offering tick vaccines in the familiar drive-in style of corona testing since the summer, and several operators offer vaccines by walking to different locations.
One reference is also a pioneer shop in the field.
Saaristolääkärit Oy, which developed its own vaccination service until 2006, sold its tick bus operation to Pihlajalinna in April.
CEO of Pihlajalinna Joni Aaltonen according to the demand for tick-borne encephalitis vaccination services is constantly increasing. You can also see it in the street scene. For example, in the Helsinki region, there are often long queues in front of tick vaccination points.
“Risk areas are increasing all the time, and operations are expanding rapidly. For example, this year we have started a tick bus service in Pirkanmaa as well,” Aaltonen states.
The dengue vaccine is often referred to as the “mite vaccine”. However, it should be noted that the vaccine does not protect against borreliosis.
National no statistics are kept on vaccines outside the vaccination program, which makes it difficult to estimate the number of TBE vaccines administered annually or the size of the market.
The companies themselves do not want to comment precisely on the matter. Since the companies that distribute the vaccination also have other business, it is difficult to accurately estimate the size of the tick-borne encephalitis vaccination business alone.
However, from the growing demand and the number of new players moving into the industry, it can be concluded that the tick business is considered attractive.
By checking financial statements, companies that offer tick vaccination services have also made good results.
For example, the operation of Saaristolääkärit Oy, which ran a mite bus operation in previous years, has been very profitable in the last five years. In the last fiscal year, the company’s turnover was 4.9 million euros, of which the operating profit was more than 2 million euros. However, the island doctors have also had other businesses in addition to the tick bus.
Archipelago doctors did not respond to HS’s call request.
It indicates You can also check the profitability of the tick vaccination business by looking at the profit margin of one vaccination.
Depending on the private operator, you can pay around 50–70 euros for one tick vaccine given to an adult. Providing vaccination protection requires a series of three vaccinations.
The costs for large families for sets of three vaccines can easily exceed 500 euros.
The tick vaccine can also be bought as a prescription medicine directly from a pharmacy, where the prescription price of the vaccine is 31.70 euros. The price of medicines is the same in all pharmacies due to the government’s medicine tax regulation.
According to the calculation formula used for prescription drugs, the products in that Price Category must be sold with a 35 percent markup compared to the purchase price. In this case, the purchase price of one vaccine dose can be estimated at slightly more than 20 euros.
HS could not find out at what purchase price vaccination chains get vaccines. However, it seems clear that the recipient of the vaccine often pays tens of euros for the injection. You can also get the vaccine at a health center.
Pihlajalinna’s Aaltonen does not admit that tick vaccines are a money maker for companies, despite the high margin.
“The profitability of the tick vaccination business does not differ from ordinary vaccine or health service business, although it may easily get the wrong impression. We have to remember that the companies that offer tick vaccines also have other businesses.”
Ticks the number of tick encephalitis due to bites has doubled in the HUS area in the last during two years. The phenomenon is probably explained by, for example, increased outdoor activities during the corona virus, climate change and, on the other hand, an increase in knowledge about tick-borne diseases.
Free tick vaccination is offered to permanent residents and summer residents in the highest risk areas determined by THL. In the Husi area, the areas in question are at least the Sipoo archipelago, Kirkkonummen Luoma and Masala, the Lohjanjärvi archipelago and Lohjan’s Hormajärvi, Vohloinen, Virkkala, Ojamo, Kirkniemi and Lylyinen.
“With regard to risk areas, it has been established that the health benefits offered by free vaccinations exceed the treatment costs caused by possible rabies encephalitis and the price of the given vaccine”, THL’s expert doctor Mika Muhonen tells.
THL has given vaccination recommendations also to other areas, but in these areas the vaccination is paid for yourself. According to Muhonen, there is currently no reason to expand the inclusion of the TBE vaccine, i.e. tick vaccine, in the national vaccination program.
According to Muhonen, ticks can spread mainly with birds and other animals.
Muhonen understands that offering free vaccines only to people living in certain areas may be interpreted as discriminatory, but considers the decision reasonable and justified.
“After all, the vaccine is only necessary for people who move a lot in nature. For them, the vaccine can be considered the price for a safe outdoor hobby.”
#Ticks #explained #Tick #vaccines #high #margins #Business #growing #rapidly
