Two-dose vaccine for HPV becomes available in China

Two-dose bivalent vaccine for the human papilloma virus (HPV) becomes available in China, in an effort to better help women fight cervical cancer, according to British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline.

Cervarix, produced by GlaxoSmithKline, has been made available in China for use in girls aged between 9 and 14 with a two-dose schedule in six months, the company told a news conference on Saturday.

"Early investment should be scaled up to promote the HPV vaccination in younger age groups, which is crucial to preventing cervical cancer in China," said Zhao Fanghui, director of Epidemiology Research Department at the National Cancer Center and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences' Cancer Hospital.

The launch of two-dose HPV vaccination program will simplify vaccination procedures to make it more economical and convenient while ensuring effective disease prevention, she said, adding that such efforts are of great significance to improve the HPV vaccination rate in China.

Currently, a total of 108 countries and regions have adopted a two-dose vaccination strategy for girls aged between 9 and 14, which is conducive to bolstering its accessibility and vaccination rate by a large margin, according to Wang Linhong, honorary director of the Maternal Healthcare Branch of Chinese Preventive Medicine Association.

Feng Bixia, the company's vice-president, said that Cervarix, the first HPV vaccine licensed for use in China, has extended its coverage to more than 280 Chinses cities since 2016, playing a vital role in protecting women from the threat of cervical cancer.

Going forward, the company will work with various stakeholders to accelerate vaccine innovation, enhance vaccine accessibility, lighten people's financial burden and put healthcare resources to more effective uses, she added.

wangkeju@chinadaily.com.cn