WOONSOCKET, R.I. — MinuteClinic has expanded its menu of services to include vitamin B-12 injections and the human papillomavirus virus (HPV) vaccination Gardasil.
The CVS Caremark Corp. retail clinic subsidiary said Monday that the B-12 injection costs $21 and the HPV vaccine is priced at $208.
The B-12 shot, which requires a prescription, is available for those age 18 and older, while the HPV immunization is available for female and male patients over 9 years old and under 26 year of age and requires follow-up injections at two and six months.
"There is an increasing medical need for patients to gain more convenient access to B-12 injections and HPV vaccinations," Nancy Gagliano, chief medical officer for MinuteClinic, said in a statement. "By making it easy to obtain these services in our retail locations with no appointment necessary, we hope to help seniors and other patients who have B-12 deficiency and also young women and men who want to lower their risk for serious disease caused by HPV."
MinuteClinic noted that according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in 31 adults over age 51 is B-12 deficient. The vitamin plays an important role in the normal function of the brain and nervous system and in the formation of red blood cells. Patients with low B-12 levels may feel tired and weak because of a lack of red blood cells carrying oxygen to the brain. Injections are given to boost B-12 levels.
The HPV vaccination helps protect against four types of HPV, including two types that cause 75% of all cervical cancer cases in women ages nine to 26, MinuteClinic reported. The CDC recommends the HPV vaccination for females in that age group.
Also, the vaccine protects against two types of HPV known to cause 90% of genital wart cases in women and men in the 9 to 26 age range. It protects against 70% of vaginal cancer cases and 70% of vulvar cancer cases among girls and young women.
