The Drugs Controller General of India’s (DCGI) Subject Expert Committee (SEC) has recommended the quadrivalent human papillomavirus (qHPV) vaccine developed by Pune-based pharmaceutical firm Serum Institute of India (SII) for cervical cancer patients belonging to the age group of nine to 26 years. Both male and female patients with cervical cancer belonging to this age group can receive the vaccine, news agency ANI reported.
The quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine approved by the government panel for the above age group is India’s first indigenously developed vaccine against cervical cancer.
Most cervical cancers are caused by the human papillomavirus, and are sexually transmitted.
Why Are HPV Vaccines Required?
HPV vaccines are important because they could reduce the impact of cervical cancer and other cancers caused by the human papillomavirus. More than 95 per cent of cervical cancer is caused by sexually transmitted human papillomavirus. This is the fourth most common type of cancer in women globally, with 90 per cent of these women living in low-and middle-income countries.
There are different strains of the human papillomavirus which spread through sexual contact. They are associated with most cases of cervical cancer.
Gardasil 9 is the HPV vaccine approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and can be used for both men and women.
If the vaccine is given before a female is exposed to the virus, most cases of cervical cancer can be prevented.
According to Mayo Clinic, males who are vaccinated against the type of human papillomavirus associated with cervical cancer may help protect females from the virus by possibly decreasing the risk of transmission.
About SII's Quadrivalent HPV Vaccine
The SII's tetravalent or quadrivalent HPV vaccine includes L1 virus-like particles (VLPs) of serotypes 6, 11, 16, and 18. A quadrivalent vaccine works by stimulating an immune response against four different antigens, such as four different viruses or other microorganisms. For instance, Gardasil is a quadrivalent vaccine that protects the body against infection with four different types of human papillomavirus. Meanwhile, Gardasil 9 is a nine-drug vaccine which provides protection against human papillomavirus types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58.
The L1 protein is sufficient to form virus-like particles, which are molecules that mimic viruses but are not infectious. These particles are an effective way of creating vaccines against diseases caused by human papillomavirus, hepatitis B virus, among others.
What Does The WHO Say About HPV Vaccine?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a single-dose human papillomavirus vaccine delivers solid protection against human papillomavirus.
Dr Alejandro Cravioto, Chair of the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE), said the HPV vaccine is highly effective for the prevention of HPV serotypes 16 and 18, which cause 70 per cent of cervical cancer, according to a statement released by the UN health agency.
SAGE recommends a one or two-dose schedule of human papillomavirus vaccine for girls aged nine to 14 years, a one or two-dose schedule for young women aged 15 to 20 years, and two doses with an interval of six months for women above 21 years of age.