HPV Vaccination
Health and Society
Context
- A large population-based study has shown that high HPV (Human Papillomavirus) vaccination coverage can reduce precancerous cervical lesions even among unvaccinated women, highlighting a strong herd-protective effect.
Cervical Cancer
- Cervical cancer develops in a woman’s cervix (the entrance to the uterus from the vagina).
- Spread: Almost all cervical cancer cases (99%) are linked to infection with high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPV), an extremely common virus transmitted through sexual contact.
- Prevalence: Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women.
- It is the second most common type of cancer in India for women.
- Treatment: When diagnosed, cervical cancer is one of the most successfully treatable forms of cancer, as long as it is detected early and managed effectively.
- Vaccination: There are, at present, two vaccines available in the country against the human papillomavirus (HPV) which causes cervical cancer, namely Merck’s Gardasil and Serum Institute of India’s Cervavac.
Leave a Reply