In India’s biggest fight against cervical cancer – one of the biggest killers of women – the Union Budget to be presented on February 1 may herald the introduction of the first domestic vaccine against the cancer-causing human papillomavirus (HPV).
Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women after breast, lung and colorectal cancer, with India accounting for nearly a quarter of cervical cancer deaths worldwide.
The disease affects about 125,000 women in India each year – both reported and unreported cases – and kills over 75,000. Almost all cervical cancer is caused by HPV, a virus that also causes several other cancers in women.
The vaccine, CERVAVAC, was developed jointly by the Serum Institute of India (SII) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT).
The budget is likely to include it as part of the Universal Immunization Program, an official briefed on the matter said.
As of now, only imported HPV vaccine is available in India and that too only in private hospitals at ₹ 3,500 to ₹ 4,000 per dose. Two doses are required to complete vaccination.
The union government now plans to target girls in the age group of 9-14 years for cervical cancer vaccination, with the Serum Institute keeping the price of the vaccine at around ₹200-400 per dose.
Cervical cancer is cancer of the cervix, or the lowermost part of the uterus, where the malignancy can be prevented by screening and the HPV vaccine.
The Serum Institute previously said the company would be able to bring the vaccine to market by November. However, production was delayed due to the covid-19 pandemic.
Cervical cancer is among women’s diseases that require urgent government intervention.
Health experts have warned of a lack of awareness about cervical cancer in India, which is one of the leading causes of death among women despite the disease being largely preventable.
The move was welcomed by women’s health specialists.
According to the World Health Organization International Classification of Diseases (2022), 65,978 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer in India in 2015. In 2017, this number rose to 75,209, and in 2025 it is expected to reach 85,241.
