• UGI USER
  • Jan 12, 2024
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CERVICAL CANCER VACCINE

Why in News

  • The Indian government is launching an HPV vaccination campaign.
Source:  India.com

About News

  • Cervical Cancer Vaccine Drive: The Indian government is launching an HPV vaccination campaign for girls aged 9-14 years to combat cervical cancer, the second most common cancer in Indian women.
  • Three-Phase Immunization: The campaign will be executed in three phases over three years, starting in the second quarter. It kicks off after the government accumulates 6.5-7 crore vaccine doses for the first phase.
  • Broad Protection: The vaccine not only guards against cervical cancer but also shields against HPV strains responsible for anal, vaginal, oropharyngeal cancer, and genital warts.
  • Cost Reduction: Currently, the two-dose HPV vaccine costs around Rs 2,000 per dose commercially, but it will be offered for free when included in the government’s immunization program.
  • Rollout Strategy: Approximately one-third of girls aged 9-14 will be immunized each year for three years. New cohorts in states with catch-up initiatives will also receive the vaccine.
  • Serum Institute’s Role: The Serum Institute of India (SII) in Pune manufactures Cervavac, a quadrivalent vaccine against HPV strains 16, 18, 6, and 11. SII plans to scale production from 2-3 million doses to 60-70 million.
  • Single-Dose Study: The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) suggests conducting trials on a single-dose HPV vaccine regimen for ages 9-15, even though global HPV vaccines follow multi-dose schedules.
  • ICMR’s Approach: Instead of a lengthy Phase-3 trial, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) will evaluate antibody persistence after a single vaccine dose, a method endorsed by the World Health Organization for public health programs.