New Delhi: Every eight minutes, India loses a woman to Human Papillomavirus (HPV). Given that India accounts for nearly one-fifth of the global cervical cancer burden, moving toward a structured vaccination program is no longer a luxury but a clinical necessity. Because HPV is a sexually transmitted virus, clinicians often face parental hesitancy regarding the age of administration. For vaccinated women, the clinical approach will eventually need to evolve; we may shift toward more sensitive HPV DNA testing over traditional Pap smears. A landmark study coordinated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in India was particularly pivotal.

Source: Economic Times March 08, 2026 12:45 UTC