Production of vaccine against cervical cancer to be boosted: Poonawalla

A day after the first indigenously developed Human Papillomavirus vaccine against cervical cancer was launched, Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla on Wednesday said the vaccine will be available in small quantity this year and its production will be boosted next year to take care of the needs of the nation.

Speaking on the sidelines of an event after presenting the vaccine to Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Poonawalla said the vaccine 'CERVAVAC' will be made available through the government programme this year.

The vaccine for 9-14-year-old was launched on Tuesday in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Poonawalla, and Director of Government and Regulatory Affairs at Serum Institute of India, Prakash K Singh.

It will be available at a much lower price than the internationally branded vaccines available in the market, Singh had said earlier.

The vaccine will be included in the National Immunisation Programme by

mid-2023, government officials had said.