A VACCINE THAT PREVENTS SIX CANCERS:
Why in the news?
HPV vaccination and cervical cancer awareness highlighted amidst January’s Cervical Cancer Awareness Month and International HPV Awareness Day in March.
source:imgur
About HPV Vaccination and Cervical Cancer Awareness:
- HPV Vaccination and Screening: HPV vaccination and screening for precancerous lesions are crucial strategies for prevention.
- These methods aim to achieve the WHO’s 90-70-90 intervention targets by 2030.
- January and March Observances: January marks Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, while March 4 is International HPV Awareness Day.
- Cervical Cancer Impact: Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women globally, causing over 300,000 deaths annually.
What is CERVAVAC?
● CERVAVAC is India’s first indigenous quadrivalent human papillomavirus (qHPV) vaccine effective against strains 6, 11, 16, and 18. ● It utilizes Virus-Like Particles (VLP) technology, akin to the Hepatitis B vaccine. What is Cervical cancer? ● Cervical cancer develops in the cervix and ranks 4th globally, 2nd in India among women. ● Nearly all cases linked to high-risk HPV infection are transmitted sexually. ● Preventable through HPV vaccination and precancerous lesion screening. |