India Launches Free HPV Vaccine Drive for 14-Year-Old Girls Nationwide

The actions undertaken by the government consequent to the recommendations of the 72nd Report of the Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare on HPV vaccine trials were taken into cognisance by the Committee as reflected in its 81st Report.

According to an official release from Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the government has undertaken many health research regulatory reforms in the last decade; some major ones are mentioned below:

1. New Drugs and Clinical Trials Rules (NDCTR), 2019, introduced a comprehensive regulatory framework and streamlined approval processes for clinical trials and new drugs. The Rules also made it mandatory to register the Ethics Committees reviewing biomedical research with Department of Health Research (DHR).

2. DHR and Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) have set up the NAITIK Portal and SUGAM Portal for the online registration of all ethics committees in India. Their composition and functions are reviewed to ensure compliance with the ethical guidelines and regulations. Also, DCGI has mandated to prospectively register all clinical trial studies online on Portal of Clinical Trials Registry of India (CTRI) before enrolment of the first participant.

3. The scientific and ethical review mechanisms before trial initiation have been strengthened. Ethics Committees are required to ensure enhanced oversight, including careful review of research proposals to ensure that risks are minimised.

4. Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) updated National Ethical Guidelines for Biomedical and Health Research in 2017, setting forth the requirement to ensure prior scientific validity, robust ethics committee review, risk minimisation strategies, safety monitoring and oversight and follow-up of participants to implement safeguards for the protection of research participants, including vulnerable participants.

5. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of Health Ministry's Screening Committee have been revised for adequately regulating international collaborations in health research.

Since Health is a state subject, the State Governments independently also undertake MoUs with national and international organisations on health-related matters.

As per a release, the nationwide HPV vaccination campaign for girls aged 14 years in the country was launched on February 28, 2026. The preparatory work took into consideration the recommendation made by scientific bodies of the world, including Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation (SAGE), World Health Organisation (WHO), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI).

The rollout was preceded by careful deliberations, NTAGI guidance and extensive training of medical and paramedical staff across all 36 States/UTs in the country was taken.

The single-dose Gardasil-4 vaccine is administered free of cost at government health facilities, including Ayushman Arogya Mandirs- Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Community Health Centers (CHCs), Sub-District Hospitals (SDH)/District Hospitals (DHs) & Government Medical Colleges (GMCs), a release stated.

with Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) Safety Monitoring

The vaccines are being administered in the presence of medical officers, and the vaccination sites are linked to 24x7 Adverse Events Following Immunisation (AEFI) Management Centers for prompt management of adverse events, if any. Parental consent is mandatory, and beneficiaries can register on the U-WIN platform. The vaccination is voluntary, and medical officers are trained to manage adverse events, if any. The operational guidelines for the roll out of HPV vaccination campaign have been disseminated to all States/UTs.

The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Prataprao Jadhav, stated this in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Friday, a release added.

- ANI