Studying HPV Vaccine Rollout Barriers In Developing Countries Is In Merck's, GSK's Self-Interest, Editorial Says

Main Category: Immune System / Vaccines
Also Included In: Cancer / Oncology;  Cervical Cancer / HPV Vaccine
Article Date: 05 Jul 2006 - 9:00 PDT

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Merck and GlaxoSmithKline by collaborating with the global health group PATH on a program that aims to provide access to human papillomavirus vaccines to women in developing countries "have a unique opportunity to identify cultural, as well as economic, barriers to vaccine rollout," an editorial in the journal Lancet says (Lancet, 6/24). PATH, with a $27.8 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, earlier this month launched a five-year program to conduct research in India, Peru, Uganda and Vietnam about ways to reduce potential hurdles for distribution of HPV vaccines in developing countries. Both Merck's FDA-approved HPV vaccine Gardasil and GSK's experimental HPV vaccine Cervarix in clinical trials have been shown to be 100% effective in preventing infection with HPV strains 16 and 18, which together cause about 70% of cervical cancer cases. PATH will collaborate with Merck, GSK, the World Health Organization, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, Harvard University, the Institut Català d'Oncologia and other partners in conducting the program (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 6/8). According to the Lancet, "realizing the ... potential" of the HPV vaccines "will depend on addressing worldwide issues of cultural and social resistance." Even though many of the issues PATH will study "are unique to the developing world, lessons learned about cultural resistance could, ironically, help smooth the product's implementation in rich nations too," the editorial says, concluding that Merck and GSK "have the chance to show that enlightened self-interest is a policy position not reserved for governments alone" (Lancet, 6/24).

"Reprinted with permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

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