New Delhi: India may be on the brink of a major breakthrough in its battle against cervical cancer, with a low-cost, Made-in-India Human Papillomavirus (HPV) test nearing inclusion in the national screening programme after meeting crucial benchmarks laid down by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
The development comes at a time when cervical cancer continues to exact a devastating toll on Indian women, claiming nearly 80,000 lives and recording around 1.27 lakh new cases every year. Experts believe the indigenous HPV test could dramatically improve early detection, particularly in rural and underserved regions where access to screening remains limited.
The HPV tests, developed by Indian scientists, were evaluated against WHO target product profiles and international standards prescribed by the IARC. Findings published in an IARC journal showed that two of the four Indian HPV tests assessed met all major performance benchmarks, paving the way for their consideration under the national cancer screening programme.
Dr. Neerja Bhatla
Leading cervical cancer researcher and Padma Shri awardee Dr. Neerja Bhatla, Professor Emeritus at the National Cancer Institute and former Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at AIIMS Delhi, said years of research and validation have now positioned the indigenous tests for large-scale deployment.
Calling cervical cancer an “absolutely preventable” disease, Dr. Bhatla stressed that widespread screening and HPV vaccination remain the most effective tools for reducing deaths. She highlighted the importance of affordable point-of-care technologies such as the Truenat HPV-HR Plus test, describing it as a game-changer for India’s public health system.
Unlike conventional HPV tests, which can cost up to ₹6,000 in private hospitals and around ₹2,000 in premier institutions such as AIIMS, the indigenous point-of-care test is estimated to cost nearly ₹100. Traditional testing also requires sophisticated laboratories, trained technicians, and a waiting period of two to six days for results. In contrast, the new test can deliver results within one to two hours and can be performed at district hospitals, sub-district facilities, and community healthcare centres with minimal training.
Health experts say the technology has the potential to decentralise cervical cancer screening, allowing women to access testing closer to their homes rather than travelling to major cities. If incorporated into the national programme, the test could bring early detection services to villages across the country and significantly reduce preventable deaths.
According to GLOBOCAN 2022 data (Cervix Uteri Factsheet – India), India accounts for nearly 23% of global cervical cancer deaths. The disease remains one of the country’s deadliest cancers among women, with one woman dying every eight minutes. The tragedy, experts say, is that cervical cancer is largely preventable and highly treatable when detected early.
Late diagnosis remains the biggest challenge. Nearly 67% of Indian women are diagnosed only after the disease has reached an advanced stage, resulting in a five-year survival rate of just 46%, compared to 66% in the United States.
WHO estimates that screening 70% of women at least twice in their lifetime—at ages 35 and 45—using HPV DNA tests, along with vaccinating 90% of girls against HPV, could drastically reduce cervical cancer deaths.
Public health specialists say the availability of affordable point-of-care HPV testing at the grassroots level could become a crucial weapon in achieving that goal and preventing thousands of avoidable deaths every year.
(Cover Representative Image: CANVA)
