| |
MSD Pharmaceuticals Private Limited, the manufacturer of Gardasil in India, has said that the vaccine can help prevent cervical, vulvar and vaginal cancers and genital warts caused by the HPV (human papilloma virus) types 6, 11, 16 and 18, as also some protection against 10 additional cervical cancers.
It has also said that the vaccine is a result of ten years of research. It said this in response to the wide criticism of its clinical trials in India.
“Gardasil is the result of over 10 years of research and development. As part of the rigorous scientific vaccine clinical development programme, clinical trials evaluating the efficacy and safety of the vaccine have included more than 25,000 women from 33 countries from around the world,” a statement said.
Earlier, it was said that the vaccine was prepared in an unethical manner.
The Indian Academy of Paediatrics Committee on Immunization (IAPCOI)also recommended it saying it as a vaccine of public health importance and should be taken prior to sexual debut.
The company statement also said that the U.S. had recommended it in 2006 for the girls and women between 11-26 years. And till now, 55 million doses of this anti-cancer vaccine have been distributed all over the world as an effort to fight against HPV diseases.
Meanwhile, MDS has also claimed to establish a robust surveillance programme to monitor the long-term safety issues related to Gardasil.
“MSD monitors vaccine safety by conducting analyses of adverse events reported to MSD, and we share these adverse event analyses with regulatory and medical authorities around the world,” a spokesperson of the company said.
