Indian HPV vaccine under test for single-dose roll-out, Pg16

Key Highlights:

• India's HPV vaccination program prioritizes Gardasil-4 over the indigenous Cervavac, delaying Cervavac's inclusion in the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP).
• Prime Minister Modi launched a campaign in February 2026 to vaccinate 1.15 crore 14-year-old girls with Gardasil-4 in Rajasthan.
• Cervavac, an indigenously developed vaccine launched in September 2022, is undergoing ICMR testing for single-dose efficacy, with results expected in 2027.
• The WHO revised its HPV vaccine dosage guidelines in March 2022, allowing for both single and two-dose schedules to improve global coverage.

Detailed Insights:

• The Health Ministry initially committed to including Cervavac in the UIP following successful Phase ⅔ trials that demonstrated its non-inferiority to Gardasil.
• A planned global tender for 16.02 crore doses of HPV vaccine for the 2026 rollout was considered, but the focus shifted to Gardasil-4.
• The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) suggested considering Cervavac for the UIP as a two-dose regimen, but this has been deferred.
• ICMR is currently conducting a study to determine if a single dose of Cervavac provides sufficient protection compared to Gardasil, impacting its immediate rollout.
• The WHO's revised guidelines allowing a single-dose HPV vaccination schedule aim to address low coverage rates and accelerate progress towards the 2030 target of 90% coverage.

Key Concepts Involved:

• HPV Vaccine: A vaccine that prevents infection from the human papillomavirus, which can cause cervical cancer and other diseases.
• Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP): A government program that provides free vaccines against life-threatening diseases to children.
• NTAGI (National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation): An advisory body that provides guidance on immunization policies and vaccine introduction in India.