Comprehensive medication guide to YF-Vax including estimated pricing, availability information, side effects, and how to find it in stock at your local pharmacy.
Estimated Insurance Pricing
Most standard health insurance plans do not cover YF-Vax; if covered (rare), expect a $25–$40 copay. FSA/HSA accounts are eligible. The CDC Vaccines for Children (VFC) program provides it at no vaccine cost for qualifying patients ≤18 years.
Estimated Cash Pricing
$150–$350 out of pocket at travel clinics (most charge $220–$264); retail pharmacy price approximately $309–$373 per dose; GoodRx coupon reduces cost to approximately $225 at participating pharmacies.
Medfinder Findability Score
55/100
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YF-Vax (Yellow Fever Vaccine) is a live-attenuated viral vaccine manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur, Inc. It is the only FDA-licensed yellow fever vaccine in the United States. YF-Vax is used to prevent yellow fever — a potentially life-threatening viral illness caused by a mosquito-borne flavivirus found in tropical regions of Africa and South America.
The vaccine uses the 17D-204 strain of the yellow fever virus, grown in avian leukosis-free chicken embryos. It is formulated with sorbitol and gelatin as stabilizers, is lyophilized (freeze-dried), and contains no preservatives. After reconstitution with the provided Sodium Chloride diluent, it must be used within 60 minutes.
YF-Vax is recommended for adults and children aged 9 months and older who are traveling to or living in areas with yellow fever risk. A single subcutaneous injection of 0.5 mL provides lifelong protection for most healthy individuals. Under current WHO International Health Regulations, a booster is not routinely required.
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YF-Vax is a live-attenuated vaccine, meaning it contains a real but weakened (attenuated) form of the yellow fever virus. When injected subcutaneously, the attenuated 17D-204 virus replicates in a controlled, limited way in the tissues near the injection site. This mimics a natural infection closely enough that the immune system mounts a robust, lasting response — but without causing the serious disease associated with wild-type yellow fever.
The immune system responds by producing neutralizing antibodies against the viral structural proteins, particularly the envelope (E) protein. Simultaneously, long-lived memory B cells and T cells are generated that persist for decades in most people. If a vaccinated person later encounters the actual yellow fever virus, these memory cells enable a rapid, protective immune response that prevents disease.
Most people develop protective immunity within 10 days of vaccination — which is why the International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP) does not become valid until 10 days post-vaccination. Seroconversion rates in clinical studies exceed 97–99% in healthy recipients. The 17D vaccine strain has been in use since the late 1930s, with approximately 850 million doses administered globally.
0.5 mL — subcutaneous injection
Single dose; reconstituted from lyophilized powder. Provides lifelong protection for most healthy individuals.
YF-Vax is more difficult to find than most other vaccines because it can only be dispensed at certified Yellow Fever Vaccination Centers — facilities holding a valid Yellow Fever Vaccination Stamp from their state or territorial health department. This means you cannot get it at most regular pharmacies or general practitioner offices, limiting your search to a smaller network of authorized travel clinics, health departments, and hospital-affiliated vaccination sites.
The national YF-Vax shortage that ran from 2015 to 2021 — caused by a manufacturing facility transition — has been resolved. YF-Vax is commercially available in the U.S. as of early 2026, following the FDA licensure of Sanofi Pasteur's new production facility in December 2020. However, individual authorized clinics may still experience localized, temporary stockouts, particularly around peak travel seasons or following travel health advisories.
If you're struggling to find a clinic near you with YF-Vax currently in stock, medfinder can help — we contact authorized clinics on your behalf and text you results so you know which ones currently have it available before you make the trip.
YF-Vax is a prescription vaccine (Rx only) and is not a controlled substance. However, it carries a unique distribution requirement: it may only be ordered and administered at sites holding a valid Yellow Fever Vaccination Stamp, issued by the state or territorial health department. Any licensed provider at an authorized center may administer it, but not every provider or practice qualifies.
Provider types that commonly hold Yellow Fever Vaccination Center authorization include:
Travel medicine specialists and MDs/DOs at travel medicine clinics
Infectious disease physicians
Primary care physicians (MDs/DOs) and physician assistants (PAs) at authorized sites
Nurse practitioners (NPs) at authorized travel health practices
Pharmacists at authorized pharmacy vaccination centers (select CVS, Walgreens locations)
Public health nurses at county/city health department immunization clinics
Telehealth providers cannot administer YF-Vax. While telehealth travel medicine consultations are available for guidance and prescription of other travel medications, the vaccine itself requires an in-person visit at an authorized center. Use the CDC Yellow Fever Vaccination Clinic Finder to locate an authorized center near you.
No. YF-Vax is not a controlled substance and is not scheduled under the DEA Controlled Substances Act. It is a prescription vaccine (Rx only) but has no abuse potential, addiction risk, or DEA scheduling. There are no refill restrictions, quantity limits from a scheduling standpoint, or special prescription requirements related to controlled substance regulation.
What is unique about YF-Vax is not scheduling restrictions, but rather its limited distribution to authorized Yellow Fever Vaccination Centers. Providers must hold a Yellow Fever Vaccination Stamp from their state health department to order and administer the vaccine — this is a public health requirement, not a DEA restriction.
Most side effects are mild and occur in a minority of vaccine recipients, typically appearing 5–10 days after vaccination and resolving on their own:
Headache
Muscle aches (myalgia)
Low-grade fever
Fatigue and malaise
Soreness, redness, or swelling at the injection site
YEL-AND (Yellow fever vaccine-associated neurologic disease): Rare neurological syndrome including meningoencephalitis and Guillain-Barré syndrome. Incidence: 0.8 per 100,000 doses (2.2 per 100,000 in adults ≥60 years).
YEL-AVD (Yellow fever vaccine-associated viscerotropic disease): Rare but severe multi-organ disease. Incidence: 0.3 per 100,000 doses; case-fatality ratio ~43%. Higher risk in adults ≥60 years (1.2 per 100,000).
Anaphylaxis: Rare hypersensitivity reaction, most likely in patients with egg, chicken protein, or gelatin allergy.
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Stamaril
Yellow fever vaccine by Sanofi Pasteur (France); uses the same 17D strain; licensed in 70+ countries; not FDA-approved for routine U.S. use but has been used under an expanded access IND during YF-Vax shortages. Comparable safety and efficacy.
Prefer YF-Vax? We can find it.
Immunosuppressants (belimumab, certolizumab, ibrutinib, cyclosporine)
majorContraindicated. Immunosuppressive agents can prevent adequate immune response and may allow the attenuated vaccine virus to cause disease. Avoid live vaccines during and for at least 3 months after immunosuppressive therapy.
Corticosteroids (prednisone, hydrocortisone, methylprednisolone)
majorAvoid high-dose or prolonged systemic corticosteroid use with YF-Vax. Corticosteroids decrease immune response and increase infection risk from live vaccines. Low-dose or local (intra-articular) steroids are lower risk — discuss with provider.
Other live vaccines (MMR, varicella, live typhoid Ty21a)
moderateIf not given simultaneously, space other live vaccines at least 4 weeks apart from YF-Vax. Simultaneous administration at separate sites is acceptable and does not reduce immunogenicity.
Chloroquine / hydroxychloroquine
minorMinor interaction: may inhibit YF vaccine replication in vitro, but does not significantly reduce antibody response in clinical use. Can be co-administered.
YF-Vax is one of the most effective vaccines ever created — a single dose provides lifelong protection for the vast majority of healthy recipients, backed by over 80 years of safety data and approximately 850 million doses administered worldwide. For travelers heading to yellow-fever-endemic regions of Africa and South America, it is an essential health precaution and in many cases a legal requirement for entry.
The challenge is not the vaccine itself — it's finding it. YF-Vax's restricted distribution to authorized Yellow Fever Vaccination Centers, combined with the historical shortage of 2015–2021 (now resolved), means that many travelers underestimate how much advance planning is required. Always get vaccinated at least 10 days before departure, and ideally 4–6 weeks ahead.
If you're struggling to track down which authorized clinic near you currently has YF-Vax in stock, medfinder is here to help. We call pharmacies and authorized clinics on your behalf and text you the results — so you can stop worrying about hold music and start planning your trip.
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