Cecolin is a novel human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine that is approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) for single-dose administration. Cecolin is now the fourth HPV vaccination to be approved in this way, in accordance with WHO guidelines from 2022 that support the use of HPV vaccines in a single dose.
Prequalification is a stringent procedure used by the World Health Organization to evaluate vaccinations and drugs to make sure they meet international criteria for quality, safety, and efficacy. These vaccinations are approved for distribution after prequalification, especially in low- and middle-income nations where access to necessary medical supplies is frequently a barrier. China’s Xiamen Innovax Biotech Co. Ltd. produced Cecolin, the nation’s first prequalified HPV vaccination. It delivers total immunity to two HPV strains and is safe for use by adult females.
Prequalification for Cecolin represents a major advancement in the fight against cervical cancer, which is primarily caused by HPV and accounts for almost 95% of the 660,000 cases of the illness that are diagnosed each year worldwide. Sadly, 90% of cervical cancer deaths occur in low- and middle-income nations, mostly in Africa. One woman dies from the disease every two minutes. This tragic number underlines the essential need for accessible HPV vaccines, as they play a vital role in avoiding these deaths.
Since 2018, there has been a significant global scarcity of HPV vaccines, which has been made worse by current production issues. Girls in Africa and Asia, where immunization rates are already low, have been the main victims of this. The discovery of cecolin gives rise to new hope because it offers an additional means of addressing the vaccination scarcity and increasing coverage, particularly in underprivileged areas.
The WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, highlighted the potential for eradicating cervical cancer with the introduction of more vaccine options, particularly single-dose vaccinations like Cecolin. WHO’s global policy aims for 90% of girls to be fully vaccinated against HPV by the age of 15.
The number of countries that have implemented the single-dose schedule as of September 2024 is 57, a notable increase from 37 in 2023. Because of this change, 6 million more girls will be able to get the HPV vaccine in 2023 alone. Another HPV vaccine, Walrinvax, was also prequalified by the WHO in August 2024. Research is still being done to see if this vaccine may also be administered as a single dose in the future.
SOURCE :
INDIA TODAY
