India's first vaccine for cervical cancer launched

Kolkata, Oct 20 (IANS) MSD Pharmaceuticals India, part of US pharma giant Merck & Co, Monday launched India's first vaccine to help prevent cervical cancer.

'Cervical cancer is the most common cancer among women in India, well ahead of breast cancer,' said Anjana Narain, MSD's director vaccine, during the launch here.

The vaccine, Gardasil, was launched in the US in 2006.

In India, each dose of the vaccine will cost Rs.2,800, and one needs to take three doses.

Narain said low awareness of this type of cancer is the sole cause behind high mortality rate among women.

'Every year, there are 132,000 new cases of cervical cancer in India and 74,000 women die every year because of it,' she said.