Nearly two decades since the only vaccine that protects against a type of cancer came into the market, it is beginning to make major inroads in low- and middle-income countries where it is sorely needed.
India’s finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced in February that the world’s most populous country would introduce free HPV vaccinations to protect girls aged 9-14 but the specifics are still unclear.
The HPV vaccine protects against cervical cancer caused by the persistent infection of the human papillomavirus. While the vaccine has been available in the private sector in India, so far it has not been a part of the government’s national immunization program. Its high cost meant that the uptake was limited.