HPV vaccination for adults, Gardasil 9 in a regulated clinic.

London providers on our panel include Nomad Travel Clinic, MASTA, Fleet Street Clinic, London Sexual Health Clinic, various private GP practices with a vaccination service, and pharmacies with an HPV service (Boots, LloydsPharmacy). Prices vary by provider, by nurse or GP delivery, and by whether the consultation is bundled.

1. 01

   Before

   You tell us your history

   A short, confidential form. Age, prior HPV vaccination if any, cervical cytology or colposcopy history, immune status, and why you are considering the vaccine now.

2. 02

   Before

   We come back with a recommendation

   Within one working day: whether the two-dose or three-dose schedule fits, and which London provider suits your timing and budget.

3. 03

   Before

   We book the first appointment

   Usually within a few days. A clinician takes a full sexual health and immune history, screens for allergies, and confirms informed consent.

4. 04

   On the day

   The first dose

   A single intramuscular injection into the deltoid. Fifteen minutes of observation afterwards. Home the same visit.

5. 05

   On the day

   Aftercare card

   Written aftercare and a schedule card with the next dates. Paracetamol if the arm is sore. Normal activities the same day.

6. 06

   After

   Second dose at 2 or 6 months

   Two-dose schedule (age 15 to 25, normal immune function): month 0 and month 6. Three-dose schedule (age over 25 or immunocompromised): month 0, 2 and 6.

7. 07

   After

   Course complete

   A completion certificate for your GP records and travel or occupational health file. No routine boosters currently recommended.

• Missed the NHS schedule entirely

  An unvaccinated adult over 25. NHS catch-up runs to age 25. Private Gardasil 9 is the standard route after that.

• Men who have sex with men, up to age 45

  The NHS offers the vaccine via GUM clinics for MSM aged 15 to 45. Private is an option if GUM access is inconvenient or slow.

• Immunocompromised: HIV, transplant, biologics

  HIV, solid organ transplant, or long-term biologics or high-dose steroids. A three-dose schedule at 0, 2 and 6 months, regardless of age.

• After CIN2 or 3, or oropharyngeal cancer

  Emerging evidence that Gardasil 9 after treatment for high-grade cervical or head-and-neck HPV disease reduces recurrence. Discuss with your specialist.

• A new relationship or partner-safety concern

  Most sexually active adults have not been exposed to all nine strains. The vaccine still protects against the strains you have not yet encountered.

• Travel and occupational exposure

  Healthcare workers, sex workers and long-term travellers who want maximum HPV protection before higher-risk exposure.

• Transgender and non-binary individuals

  Not always well covered by NHS pathways designed around cervical screening. A private route removes that friction.

• Not curative: existing lesions still need treatment

  The vaccine does not clear an existing HPV infection or wart. If you have current CIN, warts or dysplasia, treat those first and vaccinate alongside.

• Common: sore arm, low-grade fever

  Injection-site redness, swelling and tenderness for 24 to 48 hours. A mild fever or headache in the first day. Paracetamol usually enough.

• Uncommon: syncope

  A brief faint after the injection, particularly in younger adults. This is why you sit for 15 minutes afterwards, not because the vaccine itself is unsafe.

• Rare: anaphylaxis

  Below 1 in a million doses. Every clinic in our network stocks adrenaline and a resuscitation kit, and the observation period is designed to catch it early.

• Not linked to autoimmune disease

  Large post-licensure studies over 15 years have not shown a causal link with multiple sclerosis, POTS, CRPS or primary ovarian insufficiency.

• Safe while breastfeeding

  The vaccine can be given while breastfeeding. It is postponed in pregnancy purely as a precaution, not because harm has been demonstrated.

• Not a live vaccine

  Gardasil 9 is a recombinant virus-like-particle vaccine. It contains no live or attenuated virus, and cannot cause HPV infection.

• Interrupted courses do not restart

  If life gets in the way and you miss a dose by weeks or months, the course is simply completed, not restarted from scratch.

• Cervical screening still applies

  Vaccination does not replace cervical screening. Continue with NHS or private smears on the normal schedule for your age.

• Red flags after the injection

  Difficulty breathing, tongue or throat swelling, widespread rash, or a faint that does not settle within a few minutes: call 999 or go to A&E immediately.