Approval for home-grown cervical cancer vaccine could be a game-changer

Source: This post is based on the article “Approval for home-grown cervical cancer vaccine could be a game-changer” published in The Indian Express on 14th Jul 22.

Syllabus: GS2 – Health

Relevance: Development of indigenous vaccine against Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

News: Recently, the Drugs Controller General of India granted market authorisation to the Pune-based Serum Institute to manufacture the country’s first indigenously developed vaccine, Cervavac, against the human papillomavirus (HPV).

If things go according to SII’s schedule, Cervavac should be ready for mass manufacturing by the end of the year. The government shouldn’t lose time in including the vaccine in the country’s Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP).

What is the significance of the development of indigenous vaccine?

Will ease the disease burden:

– HPV is responsible for more than 95% of cervical cancer cases, and it kills more than 60,000 women in India every year.

– The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s data show that there are more than 4 lakh cervical cancer patients in the country at any given time — it’s the second-most common cancer amongst Indian women.

Low cost: In 2018, the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation recommended the inclusion of cervical cancer vaccines in the country’s Universal Immunisation Programme. But the high costs of vaccines, proved to be a deterrent (the regimen costs upwards of Rs 4,000). The drug regulator’s approval of the homegrown vaccine could prove to be a game-changer in the battle against cervical cancer.

What are the issues involved?

Lack of infra: The health ministry’s guidelines recommend cervical cancer screening every five years for women above 30 at primary health centres and sub-health centres. But several studies have shown that the public health system in large parts of the country is ill-equipped to perform such gynaecological procedures, despite their relatively low cost.

Way forward

According to the WHO, a vast majority of cervical cancer deaths happen in middle- and low-income countries.

– The global health agency’s plans to vaccinate 90% of women below the age of 15 by 2030 hasn’t made much headway, largely because of global big pharma’s monopoly on the vaccines.

– The SII’s website notes that Cervavac will be available to developing countries in the near future.

Developments in the Pune-based manufacturer’s laboratory will be keenly watched.