The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) on Thursday announced the scientific completion of India’s first locally made Quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus (qHPV) vaccine against Cervical Cancer.
“It makes us very happy that our daughters and granddaughters will now be able to get this much-awaited vaccine,” Dr. N K Arora, Chairperson of the COVID working group, National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) said.
It is very effective and prevents cervical cancer because, in 85% to 90% of cases, cervical cancer is because of this particular virus and this vaccine is against those viruses. So, if we give it to our young children and daughters, they are protected from the infection, and consequently probably 30 years later, cancer does not occur.
This is one of the last major vaccines to be introduced. In fact, this is one of the last vaccines that will be launched in the program. Now, Indian vaccines will be available and we hope that they will be launched in the National Immunisation program for 9-14-year-old girls.
“It is likely to be priced between ₹200 and ₹400, But we will finalize it after discussing it with the government of India. Once our manufacturing starts, we will be able to talk more about it” Pune’s Serum Institute of India’s (SII) chief executive officer Adar Poonawalla said on Thursday.