BCG Vaccine Clinic Australia – TB & BCG Vaccination Specialists

• The BCG Vaccine Clinic is a registered Australian company exclusively dedicated to Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccination, which is the vaccine for Tuberculosis (TB), with centres located across Australia:

  • 73 Marion Street, Harris Park, Sydney, NSW 2150 Australia (near Parramatta).

  • 1/80 Grote Street, Adelaide, SA 5000 Australia (near City Centre).

• This service is coordinated by specialist BCG vaccine accredited healthcare professionals in Sydney, New South Wales (NSW) & Adelaide, South Australia (SA), Australia.

• The current fee for TB vaccination at the BCG Vaccine Clinic is $170 (plus 1.6% card surcharge).

• To request an appointment reschedule or cancellation (free of charge), please speak directly with one of our BCG vaccine specialists by contacting us via email (info@bcgvaccine.com.au) or phone (02 8529 4086).

• Schedule your BCG vaccination appointment online through our website's 'Appointments' page below.

• A GP/doctor referral is not required for bookings at the BCG Vaccine Clinic.

• For any enquiries, including requiring assistance with URGENT bookings or rescheduling/cancelling your appointment (free of charge), please speak directly with one of our BCG vaccine specialists by contacting us via email (info@bcgvaccine.com.au) or phone (02 8529 4086).

• The BCG Vaccine Clinic administers the same brand/strain of BCG/TB vaccine that is currently utilised nationally within Australia (including NSW Health BCG vaccination clinics), which is BCG Vaccine AJV powder for injection, lyophilized - mycobacterium bovis (BCG) Danish strain 1331 with Diluted Sauton AJV (New Zealand).

• Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by TB bacteria spreading through the air from person to person.

• TB mostly affects the lungs but can affect any organ, such as the spine and the brain / central nervous system.

• The vaccine against TB is called the Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine.

• The BCG vaccine is given by injection just under the skin on the upper arm.

• BCG vaccination provides good immunity against TB disease (active TB) and even provides some protection against TB infection (latent TB).

• In addition, BCG immunisation provides protection against some non-TB infections.

• In Australia, the TB vaccine is a single dose that is given via intradermal injection, which means the vaccine is administered in the topmost layer of the skin.

• Intradermal injection is a specialised technique that very few healthcare workers in Australia (and across the world) are familiar with.

• The staff at the BCG Vaccine Clinic are highly trained and experienced with the intradermal technique, so you can be rest assured that you are in the hands of BCG vaccine professionals who are able to safely administer the TB vaccine correctly.

• In Australia, the TB vaccine can be administered from birth onwards.

• TB vaccination is more effective the younger someone is, meaning that it is more effective in children (particularly newborns/babies/infants).

• The BCG vaccine provides good protection against TB when administered in children below 16 years of age and has been shown to be particularly very effective in children below 5 years of age.

• BCG vaccination provides approximately 70-80% protection against severe forms of TB in young children, such as TB of the brain (TB Meningitis), TB of the central nervous system (CNS TB) and widespread TB disease (Miliary/Disseminated TB).

• TB immunisation may take up to 3 months to take full effect, therefore it should ideally be given in Australia at least 3 months before travelling to a country where TB is common.​

• Yes, the BCG Vaccine Clinic can provide TB vaccination for individuals of any age, including children and newborns/infants, as well as adults.

• Adults in Australia who are at risk of TB exposure are recommended to be immunised with BCG, particularly healthcare workers who are travelling to a high incidence TB country/region for an extended period of time.

• TB immunisation in adults has been shown to have variable effectiveness, although research has shown that adults who receive the BCG vaccine attain some protection against drug-resistant TB, as well as other non-TB mycobacterium and viruses.

• Currently in Australia, BCG immunisation is a single one-time dose and therefore, a booster shot is generally not common practice.

• Since the TB vaccine is a live vaccine, BCG vaccination is not recommended for individuals who have a latent TB infection, low immunity, or a current illness with fever.

• Other LIVE INJECTABLE vaccines, such as the 12-month and 18-month scheduled vaccinations, as well as Yellow Fever and Japanese Encephalitis (Imojev) vaccinations, should be administered on the same day as the BCG vaccine OR separated by a period of at least 4 weeks.

• The 6-week and 4-month oral live vaccines do not need consideration, as they will not interfere with the BCG vaccine.

• The BCG vaccine is one of the world's oldest and most widely used vaccine, which has shown to be very safe globally/worldwide and in Australia, with generally mild side effects.

• A pre-BCG vaccination assessment is required to ensure it is safe for the vaccine recipient, which is undertaken each time at the BCG Vaccine Clinic to ensure utmost safety.

• In NSW Australia, a TB test (TST or IGRA) is required prior to BCG immunisation if the vaccine recipient has been in close contact with a person with TB of the lung and has not completed TB screening.

• A local wound site usually develops where the injection was given, which forms into a scar over a period of up to 4 months.

The TB vaccine is safe, with generally mild side effects.

Occasional side effects include:

• Fast or accelerated BCG vaccination sore development.

• Painful, red and swollen BCG vaccination sore.

• Swelling of the glands in the armpits or neck.

• Excessive growth of scar tissue at the injection site, known as keloid scarring.

• After BCG vaccination, a sore will likely develop at the injection site, which usually occurs within a few weeks after vaccine administation.

• This sore generally leads to scab formation and eventually results in the presence of a scar, which takes around 2-4 months in most cases.

• The presence or absence of a scar does not indicate efficacy, but usually occurs in most cases to varying degrees.

• If the sore forms, heals and scars very rapidly (within 2-3 weeks), it may be a fast/accelerated reaction - in this event, please contact us for further discussion.

• Some people may respond slowly to the BCG vaccine. In rare cases, there may not be a response to the vaccine and there may not be a sore/scar formation at the site of BCG injection.

• If there is no response to the vaccine, repeat vaccination with BCG is not recommended in Australia.

BCG vaccination sore

BCG vaccination scar

• Keep the area clean and dry.

• Keep the area uncovered where possible.

• Do not cover the sore with dressings or band-aids.

• Do not apply creams, lotions or ointments at the location of the sore.

• If the sore oozes a lot, it can be covered with a piece of loose, sterile cloth (e.g. gauze) that is taped down at the edges but still allows airflow.

• Normal activities such as baths, showers, swimming, and sports can be continued as usual, despite the presence of a BCG vaccination sore.