Cervical Cancer Vaccine

#GS-03 Science and Technology, #GS-02 Healthcare

Cervical Cancer:

Cervical cancer is a type of cancer that occurs in the cells of the cervix (the lowermost part of the uterus) and results in the formation of a malignant tumour there.
Cervical cancer is treatable as well as curable; however, the possibility of recurrence exists.
However, it is the second most prevalent form of cancer and the second largest cause of death by cancer in women of reproductive age (15-44).
Various strains of the Human papillomavirus (HPV) are the major cause for the largest number of cervical cancer cases.
27% of global cervical cancer cases are recorded from India.

CERVAVAC is a quadrivalent vaccine which makes it effective against at least four variants of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).
The vaccine has been developed by Serum Institute of India (SII), and was approved by the Drug Controller General of India in July 2022.
It has been developed by SII in partnership with Department of Biotechnology’s Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
CERVAVAC is expected to cost ₹ 200-₹ 400 a shot which is a substantiate reduction from the current price of ₹ 3,500 to ₹ 6,000 per dose.
The development of CERVAVAC makes it the third HPV vaccine available in India after the Gardasil (a quadrivalent vaccine from Merck) and Cervarix (a bivalent vaccine from GlaxoSmithKline).
The vaccine will be available to the public through Universal Immunisation Programme by mid-2023.
The government is expected to roll out this vaccine for girls aged between nine and 14 through schools.
Girls who are unable to attend school on the day of the vaccination campaign will be provided the vaccine at a health facility.
Out-of-school girls will be reached through community outreach and mobile teams.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a DNA virus from the Papillomaviridae family and is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI).
Most people with HPV don’t develop any symptoms but can act as carriers infecting others through sexual contact.
HPV vaccines can prevent the most common types of infection.