India has marked another significant stride in preventive healthcare with the development of indigenously manufactured HPV test kits for cervical cancer screening. This achievement, spearheaded by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) under the Ministry of Science & Technology, was lauded by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology during a joint review meeting held on April 23, 2025. The meeting brought together key stakeholders from DBT, AIIMS New Delhi, BIRAC, ICMR, and industry partners.
The Minister hailed the development as a crucial milestone, emphasizing the government’s ultimate goal of positioning India as a global leader in preventive healthcare. He acknowledged the series of significant accomplishments by the DBT and BIRAC team, including the development of India’s first DNA vaccine, which garnered international recognition and elevated India’s standing in healthcare science.
“The DNA vaccine has projected India as a country capable of leading in preventive healthcare—a stark contrast to the outdated perception that India neither prioritized preventive, nor even curative healthcare,”
Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology
He also highlighted the encouraging progress of Nafithromycin, India’s first indigenous antibiotic, and underscored the integral role of private sector involvement in these successes, emphasizing a “whole-of-science and whole-of-government approach.”
Another notable breakthrough cited was the successful gene therapy trial in hemophilia, which was published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). The Minister noted the recognition of India’s pioneering healthcare research by both the British Medical Journal and NEJM, two of the world’s oldest medical journals.
He outlined a four-pronged strategy moving forward:
- Recognizing prevention as the future of healthcare, this will be the government’s primary focus.
- With cervical cancer prevalent among adolescents and young women, early-age interventions will be emphasized.
- Strengthening collaborative initiatives across government ministries, including Health and Women & Child Development.
- Building an ecosystem for domestic and global public-private partnerships (“PPP plus PPP”).
He also highlighted the alarming statistic that India ranks fourth globally in cervical cancer-related morbidity, underscoring the urgent need for action. While noting that HPV is not the sole cause, he pointed to the 90% correlation, making targeted prevention crucial.
The Minister stressed the ultimate objective of enabling affordable, accessible, and ideally mass screening for cervical cancer. He illustrated the potential of private sector contribution with his own experience of facilitating free insulin treatment for Type 1 diabetes through a charitable collaboration in 1996.
While acknowledging the increased focus on vaccines post-COVID, he emphasized the importance of holistic prevention, including social, cultural, and hygienic habits.
The GCI-BIRAC-DBT program successfully validated rapid, point-of-care, RT-PCR-based HPV diagnostic test kits, tested at premier R&D laboratories across India.
Highlighting the concerning WHO data that 1 in 5 women globally suffering from cervical cancer are from India, and that India accounts for 25% of global cervical cancer deaths often due to late diagnosis, he emphasized the critical need for accessible preventive screening strategies.
He pointed out the limitations of current screening methods like VIA/VILI, Pap smears, and HPV DNA testing, which can be costly, resource-intensive, and moderately sensitive. The new indigenous kits are expected to significantly reduce costs and improve accessibility for widespread use.
The Minister also noted India’s simultaneous efforts in addressing multiple challenges. With over 70% of the population under 40, he raised concerns about rising non-communicable diseases, including early-onset Type 2 diabetes, stressing the national responsibility to safeguard the youth through timely prevention.
He concluded by urging continued cross-sector collaboration to ensure that the benefits of science reach the common public, making healthcare affordable, accessible, and proactive.
The review meeting was attended by Dr. V.K. Paul, Member, NITI Aayog; Dr. Rajesh Gokhale, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology (DBT); Jitendra Kumar, Managing Director, BIRAC; and Padma Shri Dr. Neerja Bhatla, a renowned expert in gynecologic oncology, who all contributed valuable insights.
Prior to the scientific review, a two-minute silence was observed to mourn the lives lost in the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, with the gathering expressing deep condolences and solidarity.
