Overview
Romania's public healthcare system provides some vaccines through the national immunisation programme, but access for gay and bisexual men as a risk group is less well-organised than in western Europe. For Mpox, access is primarily through Matei Balș or via ARAS referral. Hepatitis A and B are available but often require navigating the public system or paying privately. HPV is expensive for adults.
The practical advice: check with ARAS for the most current information on availability before making appointments.
Mpox (Monkeypox)
Cost: Free at Matei Balș (for risk groups); availability varies Route: Matei Balș or ARAS referral
During and after the 2022 Mpox outbreak, Romania ran a vaccination campaign for risk groups including gay and bisexual men. The Jynneos (Imvanex) vaccine is a two-dose series.
Availability has been inconsistent — check with ARAS (aras.ro / 021 252 43 70) for current vaccine stock and booking procedures before making the trip to Matei Balș.
Matei Balș: Str. Dr. Calistrat Grozovici 1, Sector 2, Bucharest; 021 201 09 80
If Mpox vaccine is not currently available through the programme, ARAS will know about any other access routes.
Hepatitis A
Cost: Paid privately (~150–250 RON per dose) Route: Private clinic or pharmacy with vaccine service
Hepatitis A is transmitted sexually (oral-anal contact) and through contaminated food and water. Romania's public system does not reliably provide Hep A vaccination for gay and bisexual men as a risk group — in practice, most men access it privately.
Two doses are required, spaced 6–12 months apart.
Where to access:
- Private clinics (Regina Maria, MedLife) — vaccination available with or without a GP consultation; book online
- Some travel vaccination centres
- Pharmacies with vaccination services
Combined Hep A+B vaccine (Twinrix) can cover both — ask if available.
Hepatitis B
Cost: Free via national programme (if eligible); otherwise ~100–180 RON per dose Route: Medic de familie (GP) or private clinic
Hepatitis B is in Romania's national vaccination schedule for newborns and certain risk groups. If you have not been vaccinated as an adult, your medic de familie can check your status with a titre blood test and enrol you in a free catch-up course if you are unvaccinated.
In practice, getting this through the public system requires a functioning medic de familie relationship, which not all residents have. Private vaccination is an alternative at roughly 100–180 RON per dose; three doses over 6 months.
If you are already immune (previous infection or completed vaccination), a blood titre test confirms this before starting.
HPV
Cost: Very expensive privately — ~600–700 RON per dose (×3 doses) Route: Private clinic only for adults
Romania's national HPV programme has covered girls and (more recently) boys in school-age cohorts. Adult gay and bisexual men outside this programme must pay privately.
Total cost for Gardasil 9 (3 doses): approximately 1,800–2,100 RON (€360–420). This is among the most expensive vaccine costs relative to income in the region.
Where to access: private clinics (Regina Maria, MedLife, Sanador, Medicover). No prescription required — book directly.
Gardasil 9 (covering 9 HPV types including those causing most anal cancers and genital warts) is recommended over older formulations. If you are under 26 and have not been vaccinated, the case is strongest. Even over 26, if you have not been exposed to all nine types, vaccination is likely beneficial — discuss with a doctor.
Summary Table
| Vaccine | Cost | Route |
|---|---|---|
| Mpox (Jynneos) | Free at Matei Balș (check availability) | ARAS referral or Matei Balș direct |
| Hepatitis A | ~150–250 RON/dose (×2) | Private clinic |
| Hepatitis B | Free if eligible; ~100–180 RON/dose privately | GP or private clinic |
| HPV (Gardasil 9) | ~600–700 RON/dose (×3) | Private clinic |
See also: Vaccines overview | ARAS testing