Cervical Cancer Vaccination: HPV Price In India - Everything You Need To Know

Cervical cancer and HPV vaccination have been the talk of the town for the past week after actress Poonam Pandey faked her death in the name of awareness around the disease. It also got a special mention in the India Budget 2024 by the Minister of Finance, Nirmala Sitharaman. During her Budget speech, she declared, “Our government will encourage vaccination for girls in the age group of 9 to 14 years to prevent cervical cancer.”

What is HPV vaccination? 

As per the National Cancer Institute of the United States, HPV vaccines protect against infection with human papillomaviruses (HPV). HPV is a group of more than 200 related viruses, of which more than 40 are spread through direct sexual contact. Among these, two HPV types cause genital warts, and about a dozen HPV types can cause certain types of cancer—cervical, anal, oropharyngeal, penile, vulvar, and vaginal.

Who Should Get HPV Vaccine?

Ages 11 and 12 are the recommended times for HPV vaccination. Immunization against HPV can begin as early as age 9. To protect themselves from HPV infections that may result in cancer in the future, all preteens must receive the HPV vaccination.

While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the HPV vaccine for use up to age 45, it is not advised for all adults between the ages of 27 and 45. Rather, ACIP advises physicians to think about asking their patients in this age range who were not fully vaccinated earlier if HPV vaccination is appropriate for them. This age group benefits less from HPV vaccination because more people have already been exposed to the virus.

Are HPV vaccines safe?

The vaccinations have not resulted in any significant side effects, according to more than a decade of safety monitoring. The most frequent issues have been transient soreness and other localized injection site symptoms. These issues are comparable to those that are frequently brought on by other vaccinations.

A safety review of the adverse side effects of the Gardasil vaccination that have been reported to the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System since the vaccine's licensing was carried out by the FDA and the CDC (26–28). The rates of unfavorable side effects were comparable to those observed with other vaccines and in line with safety studies conducted before the vaccine's approval.

How much does HPV vaccination cost? 

Cervarix (bivalent): This vaccine guards against HPV types 16 and 18, which are high-risk and account for about 70% of cervical cancer cases. For females 9 to 14 years old, a two-dose schedule is usually advised.

The quadrivalent Gardasil vaccine protects against four different HPV types (16, 18, 6, and 11). The other varieties provide defense against vaginal warts. Females between the ages of 9 and 26 are advised to receive Gardasil, which can be administered in two or three doses based on age. A dose of Gardasil-4 costs approximately Rs 3,957.

Launched in January 2023, Cervavac (quadrivalent) is the first HPV vaccine made in India. It was developed and produced by Serum Institute of India (SII), located in Pune. Like Gardasil, it targets the same four types of HPV.

Cervavac is anticipated to be less expensive than foreign alternatives and is presently being evaluated for inclusion in the national immunization program. The estimated price range is Rs 200–400.