New Free Vaccines Now Available in Polish Pharmacies from 18 August

The Polish Ministry of Health has announced that from 18 August the list of vaccines available free of charge at pharmacies has been expanded.

As reported by stronazdrowia.pl, it is now possible to get vaccinated at a pharmacy not only against COVID-19, flu, or pneumococci as before, but also against whooping cough, human papillomavirus (HPV), shingles, tetanus, hepatitis A and B, and RSV.

Who Can Use This Service?

All adults aged 18 and over can get vaccinated at a pharmacy. For every patient, the administration of the vaccine will be free of charge. However, the vaccines themselves are not free for everyone — they are fully covered only for certain groups, such as older adults or those at higher risk of illness.

What Does the NFZ Reimburse?

✅ Persons aged 65 and over can receive a free flu vaccination. ✅ The same patients are entitled to reimbursement for pneumococcal vaccination in cases of elevated disease risk. ✅ COVID-19 — both the vaccination and the vaccine itself are free, but there are currently no available preparations in Poland. New batches are expected following the registration of vaccines recommended by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the 2025/2026 season.

Debate Among Doctors

The Supreme Medical Council has pointed out that pharmacists do not have access to patients' medical records. This may create a risk of complications, particularly for people with diabetes, oncological or autoimmune diseases, as well as patients with HIV or AIDS. Doctors emphasise that in such cases the decision to vaccinate should be made by the patient's treating physician.

For their part, representatives of pharmacists note that the law guarantees all medical professionals access to medical records, but in practice there are technical obstacles. For this reason, particular emphasis is being placed on the development of electronic medical documentation.

This decision is another step towards making vaccination more accessible for adults in Poland. The ability to get vaccinated at a pharmacy gives patients faster and more convenient access to preventive healthcare.