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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.