HPV vaccine and the controversy

The HPV vaccine has been a major medical breakthrough in recent times .Worldwide, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women whereas in India ,Cancer of the uterine cervix is the commonest .This for a disease which can be detected very early by a simple screening test called the PAP smear .Even among the urban population less than 10 % of women get screened for Cancer cervix.


The vaccine has been in wide spread use in India for sometime now .The recent deaths in a research trial in Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat has understandably created an outcry in the press and the public.Now the Government has gone on record that the deaths were not vaccine related .Whatever may have been the cause of death ,there seem to have been serious lapses in the conduct of the trial .These lapses have led to the interruption of the vaccination and also cast a cloud on its efficacy and side effects .

The government should act fast in elucidating the cause of deaths of those vaccinated and also identify and penalise those who have been responsible for the serious lapses in obtaining consent .By and by ,India is becoming a site for research trials for various international organisations .The need of the hour is to set up appropriate monitoring mechanisms for the approval and the conduct of these trials .This will ensure that ,we will stand to get the benefits of worthy trials and trials which are aimed at using our population as guinea bigs will be kept at bay ...
Undue delay in the investigation will jeopardise the use and credibility of the vaccine which could render protection to so many women ....


Poongulali