The World Health Organization (WHO) has received a grant of US$ 7 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, as part of an integrated effort to accelerate the development and introduction of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines to protect against cervical cancer.
The announcement was made on 13 June in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, during the sixth annual WHO Global Vaccine Research Forum which brings together top vaccine scientists, researchers and public health experts to discuss new vaccines and vaccination policy.
The grant to WHO is part of a joint international effort with the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Harvard University and the Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH), which have also received new grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The four announced grants total US$ 12.9 million.
HPVs are the most common sexually transmitted viruses worldwide and infect about 70% of sexually active adult populations. While HPV infection clears without treatment in the majority of people, it can develop into chronic infection and, in some women, causes cervical cancer. HPV infections are associated with more than 99% of al cervical cancer cases worldwide.
Cervical cancer is the leading cause of death from cancer among women in developing countries, killing about a quarter of a million women a year. The disease affects about half a million women every year, and represents a major health inequity, as 80 % of cervical cancer victims live in low- or middle-income countries.
Currently, the best way to prevent cervical cancer is through regular gynaecological screening and, when necessary, treatment of associated pre-cancerous lesions. However, due to the cost and complexity of regular screening and treatment, this method has had only a limited impact in the countries where it is most needed.
Vaccines to prevent HPV infections have the potential to be cost-effective and to reduce the incidence of cervical cancer and related pre-cancerous lesions, particularly in low-resource settings. Modelling studies suggest that combining HPV vaccination and screening programmes may have the most impact on disease control.
