HPV vaccine gets immunisation nod

HPV vaccine gets immunisation nod

Context:

• The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) has given the green signal to the introduction of the Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in the Universal Immunization Programme.
• The decision of who will make the HPV vaccines will depend on the outcome of a 2012 Supreme Court case.

What is the controversy in 2012 about the vaccine?

• In 2009 a clinical trial conducted by the American non-profit PATH, in partnership with the Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat governments, went wrong.
• Around 24,000 pre-adolescent girls were given MSD and GSK vaccines in the trial.
• When eight of these girls died, health activists said PATH and others had violated research-ethics by giving the girls the vaccine without informed consent from their parents.
• They also pointed out that trial-researchers had not set up a system to track the vaccine side-effects.
• These allegations led to a 2012 writ petition in the Supreme Court by the activists.

What does the Opponents of the HPV has to say about the vaccine?

• Opponents of the HPV vaccine say it is unnecessary, because screening for cervical cancer alone can prevent many deaths.
• Proponents say that while screening is important, it is difficult to implement this in Indian healthcare settings.
• Vaccine opponents have also raised the issue of rare side-effects.