In a few months, India will introduce its first locally produced quadrivalent Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine for the prevention of cervical cancer, which will be sold to the public for a reasonable price of between 200 and 400 rupees.
Jitendra Singh, the Union Minister for Science and Technology, attended a ceremony today to declare the vaccine’s scientific development complete.
Scientific completeness suggests that the vaccine’s R&D efforts are finished, and that the public release of the vaccine is the next logical step.
Speaking at the occasion, Mr. Singh claimed that Covid had increased public awareness of preventative healthcare, which had prompted the creation of vaccinations like the one for cervical cancer.
“We are now able to afford preventive healthcare thanks to programmes like Ayushman Bharat.
The Department of Biotechnology has assumed leadership in the situation and is working cooperatively, ” he added.
Adar Poonawalla, CEO of the Serum Institute of India (SII), who was in attendance, spoke with reporters outside the ceremony and said, “The cost of the cervical cancer vaccine, which would be between Rs 200 and 400, will be reasonable.
However, the exact price is still to be finalised”.
According to Mr. Poonawalla, the vaccination may be made available by the year’s end.
He stated that the vaccine will first be made available through the government channel, then starting the next year, certain business partners would also be involved.
