South African Advocacy Group Calls For Increased HPV Vaccinations Of HIV-Positive Women

Main Category: HIV / AIDS
Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology;  Cervical Cancer / HPV Vaccine
Article Date: 17 Nov 2008 - 10:00 PST

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The Treatment Action Campaign of South Africa is calling on pharmaceutical companies to "dramatically lower the prices" of human papillomavirus vaccines to make them more affordable for HIV-positive women, the Cape Times/IOL reports. According to TAC, HIV-positive women are 10 times more likely than women who are HIV-negative to contract a strain of HPV that causes cervical cancer. The group said a mass vaccination drive should be launched as soon as possible to help protect women from HPV. More than 3,400 women in South Africa die of cervical cancer annually, making it the "leading cancer faced by South African women," according to the Cancer Association of South Africa's Web site.

The two HPV vaccines registered for use in South Africa each cost more than 2,100 South African rand -- or about $203 -- for the three-dose regimen in the private health care sector. TAC researcher Nosisa Mhlathi said that the cost of the vaccines "makes them inaccessible to the majority of poor world citizens, who account for by far the greatest rates of cervical cancer mortality." She added that TAC has engaged in discussions with the vaccine manufacturers and that "[b]oth companies are willing to reduce prices for the South African public sector." She said that at the current price, the government would need more than 3.6 billion rand -- or about $348.8 million -- to provide the initial vaccination to girls and women in South Africa (Joseph, Cape Times/IOL, 11/12).

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