Sales of vaccines against human papillomavirus infection increased by almost five times

For ten months of 2022, Russians purchased 5,893 packages of an expensive vaccine against papillomavirus infection in pharmacies, follows from the information of the analytical company DSM Group. This is almost five times more than it was a year earlier: then only 1,254 packages were sold in three quarters. And for the whole of 2021, sales of such drugs amounted to 1,788 packages.

The human papillomavirus (HPV) is responsible for 7.5% of all cancer deaths in women, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). More than 95% of cervical cancer cases are caused by it. Over the past ten years (from 2011 to 2021), the prevalence of this oncological disease has increased from 113.1 to 126.7 people per 100,000 of the population of Russia, according to the collection “The state of oncological care for the population of Russia” edited by the chief freelance oncologist of the Ministry of Health Andrey Kaprina. It also says that 34.2% of malignant neoplasms of the cervix are detected in stage III and advanced stage IV. Vaccination against HPV almost halves the risk of cervical cancer, a disease that kills more than 300,000 people every year, according to a material published in the scientific journal Lancet in 2021.

The economic burden of diseases associated with HPV in Russia in 2019 was estimated at 63.64 billion rubles, according to a scientific article in the journal Pediatric Pharmacology. It also says that with a 70% vaccination coverage of 12-year-old girls against HPV in Russia, losses can be reduced by 41.792 billion rubles, preventing 4841 deaths from malignant neoplasms.

Vaccination against HPV is included in national vaccination schedules in 91 countries, but not in Russia. The exception is certain regions of the country, for example Moscow. According to the strategy for the development of immunoprophylaxis until 2035, approved by the Russian government in April last year, the HPV vaccine can be included in the national calendar in 2024. At the same time, the company “Nanolekplans to start production of this vaccine in Russia.

The total volume of public procurement of HPV vaccines over the ten months of this year increased by 1.8 times compared to the same period in 2021, amounting to 321,957 packages. While for the whole of 2021, only 191,467 packages were purchased, according to DSM Group. Aggregate sales in the public and retail segments for the ten months of this year amounted to 2.6 billion rubles.

Two foreign HPV vaccines are now registered in Russia – Gardasil by MSD and Cervarix by GSK. Their ten-month sales share was 94% and 6%, respectively, according to DSM Group. The drugs themselves are considered expensive. For example, immunization with three doses of Cervarix in Medsi will cost 24,270 rubles. (all prices are given without taking into account the doctor’s appointment before vaccination), in Invitro – 27,270 rubles, in pharmacy chains the cost of three doses varies from 21,000 rubles. up to 22,600 rubles The cost of three doses of Gardasil in Medsi is from 35,100 rubles, at the same price you can get vaccinated in Invitro. In pharmacies, three doses of the drug cost from 23,400 rubles. up to 27,900 rubles

Theoretically, several hundred or thousands of consumers could have purchased the vaccine amid reports of MSD plans to stop deliveries of a number of drugs to Russia, although Gardasil was not on this list, says Nikolay Bespalov, director of development at RNC Pharma, an analytical company. However, according to him, as of October 2022, MSD did not import a single package of Gardasil into the country, but last year’s imports exceeded 2020 figures by three times, amounting to 527,800 packages. Now this stock is used up. According to his calculations, the annual consumption of this drug is about 130,000 packages.

Previously, the HPV vaccine was given only to uninfected persons – children and adolescents who do not live sexually, said Anastasia Zhdanova, deputy chief physician of Invitro-Moscow. It has now been established that it can be administered to adults (women under 45 and men under 26) and will be effective even in those with HPV, reducing the risk of complications, she continued. Zhdanova believes that it is far from possible to get vaccinated against human papillomavirus infection in a polyclinic under a compulsory medical insurance policy in every region, which is why people buy drugs in pharmacies on their own.