Drug regulator approves country first indigenously developed HPV by Serum Institute

July 11, 2022:

 

India's drug regulator on Tuesday approved the country's first indigenously developed Human Papillomavirus Vaccine (HPV) by the Serum Institute of India (SII).

 

"For the first time there will be an Indian HPV vaccine to treat cervical cancer in women that is both affordable and accessible," Adar Poonawalla, CEO, SII tweeted.

 

He said that the company will launch it later this year.

 

As reported by ET, India's apex immunisation body- National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) was actively considering rolling out the HPV vaccine in immunisation programme.

 

The technical sub committee of NTAGI had earlier recommended introduction of the vaccine.

 

The government proposes to target girls aged 9-14 years for vaccination against cervical cancer. Currently, the vaccine is available only in private hospitals and costs up to ₹4,000 per dose.

 

While the trials of Human Papilloma vaccine (HPV) vaccine used for cervical cancer had hit the wall earlier.

 

The government had in 2015 asked NTAGI to conduct a feasibility study on the vaccine so that it could be introduced in the country.

 

The trials on the vaccine earlier were marred with controversy in 2010 after some girls reportedly died after having been administered the vaccine used to prevent cervical cancer.

 

Globally, cervical cancer is the fourth most frequent cancer in women; among Indian women, it is the second most frequent, according to the WHO. A 2012 study published in the Indian Journal of Medical and Pediatric Oncology found that India accounted for a third of all global cervical cancer deaths, with 1.32 lakh new cases diagnosed annually, mostly in advanced stages.

 

India reports the most cases of cervical cancer ranging from 80,000-90,000.

 

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women after breast, lung, and colorectal cancer. ET Health