‘Free’ vaccines, single-dose nudge pushes India-made HPV vaccine to back of the line

The World Health Organization (WHO) relaxed the prescribed dosage for HPV vaccines, potentially delaying the inclusion of an India-made vaccine, Cervavac, in the national immunization program. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a campaign to vaccinate 1.15 crore girls against HPV with Gardasil-4, but the inclusion of Cervavac was pushed back due to ongoing studies on its single-dose efficacy and cost-effectiveness compared to the two-dose regimen of Gardasil-4. The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) provided a US$250 million grant to support HPV vaccine introduction, but funding is limited after 2027. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is conducting studies on the single-dose efficacy of Cervavac, which could influence its inclusion in the national immunization program.