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GAVI begins roll-out of cheap HPV vaccine

pharmafile | October 17, 2013 | News story | Sales and Marketing GAVI, HPV, Vaccine 

For the first time women in parts of the world with the highest cervical cancer death rate will be able to be vaccinated against the disease at an affordable price.

The roll-out of the vaccine which targets the Human papillomavirus responsible for around 70% of all cervical cancers, began in Laos this week.

The mortality rate for cervical cancer in the Southeast Asian country is six times that of the UK, as people there have not been able to afford the HPV vaccine. Many women are also not being checked for pre-cancerous lesions – a common indicator of a future tumour – and their disease is being discovered too late to treat.

In general, cancer treatment in the world’s poorest nations is also limited – Laos has no radiotherapy and those patients who can afford treatment are sent to Thailand.

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Helen Evans, GAVI’s deputy chief executive told the BBC: “Approximately 275,000 women die every year from cervical cancer and over 85% of those deaths are in the developing world. This is why the Alliance is so keen to start vaccination in the country as this can potentially save thousands of young girls’ lives.”

The two vaccines being used are GlaxoSmithKline’s Cervarix and MSD’s Gardasil, which can cost around £250 ($400) for a full course of the treatment in the UK.

But the GAVI Alliance has managed to obtain these medicines for as low as $4.50 per dose – a full course of treatment requires three doses, meaning the total price will be just $13.50.

The Alliance, which is also looking to expand its series of vaccination programmes to children around the world, says this record low price for these HPV vaccines will: “Open the door for poor countries to vaccinate millions of girls against a devastating women’s cancer”.

Like other GAVI-supported countries, Laos has to make a token financial contribution and also has to supply the nurses and organise distribution of the vaccine, which does increase the cost.

The two-year pilot project in Laos involves about 20,000 girls being immunised. If successful, it will lead to a national roll-out of the jab.

By 2020, GAVI hopes to have supported HPV immunisation of more 30 million girls in over 40 countries.

Ben Adams 

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