Pharma giant Merck and Co., hopes to offer Gardasil, to developing countries at affordable rates. Gardasil, marketed by Merck is the only vaccine against Human Papilloma Virus, that is insinuated to cause the deadly cervical cancer.
Statistics reveal that cervical cancer is rampant in developing countries.80% of deaths attributed to cervical cancer is seen to occur in developing nations.A single dose of Gardasil is priced at 120 €.The vaccination programme advises three doses for effective protection. This does not make it practical for distribution in developing nations.
Merck officials have notified that the company hopes to make the vaccine available in the market at lower prices in developing countries in a couple of months.
Health experts across the globe have been lobbying to make this vaccine available to all young sexually active women, to get protection against HPV which is a sexually transmitted virus. Statistics show that at least 95% women are never get a cervical smear done, without which a positive diagnosis for cervical cancer cannot be reached.
The vaccine is currently available in 13 European Union countries and also in United States. Merck has vouched that they are indeed committed to reduce the usual time lag of about two decades that pass from the date of approval of medicines in the West and the point they reach poorer nations.
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