Merck & Co., Inc., GlaxoSmithKline Reduce HPV Vaccine Prices by 95 Pct. in Poorest Regions

Staying up-to-date has never been simpler. Sign up for the free GenePool newsletter today!

Merck & Co. (MRK) and GlaxoSmithKline Plc (GSK) will cut the prices of their cervical cancer vaccines for some countries in the first large-scale effort to get the shots to girls in the world’s poorest regions. The companies will sell their vaccines to eligible low-income countries for about $4.50 a dose, a more than 95 percent discount from the prices charged in the U.S., said Nina Schwalbe, managing director for policy and performance at the GAVI Alliance, which will purchase the vaccines and distribute them to the countries at a further reduced price. Until now, there have been very few efforts to get the inoculations that protect against the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus, or HPV, to women in low-income countries where there is little testing or treatment for cervical cancer. More than 80 percent of deaths from cervical cancer are in developing countries, where it is the leading cause of cancer deaths in women.

Help employers find you! Check out all the jobs and post your resume.

Back to news