Merck & Co. and China Cancer Foundation Announce HPV Vaccine Donation Initiative to Accelerate Cervical Cancer Elimination

SHANGHAI, Nov. 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- At the fourth China International Import Expo (hereinafter referred to as "CIIE") in 2021, MSD (the corporate trade name of Merck & Co., Inc., headquartered in Kenilworth, New Jersey, U.S.A.) and the China Cancer Foundation held a media press conference on the donation of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines at the MSD booth. Anna Van Acker, President of MSD China, and Shi Yuankai, Chairman of the China Cancer Foundation, jointly announced that, with a focus on accelerating the elimination of cervical cancer, MSD plans to donate a total of 60,000 doses of HPV vaccines to the China Cancer Foundation over the next three years. The vaccines will be used to provide free vaccinations for approximately 20,000 middle school girls in three counties across Sichuan's Garze, Aba, and Liangshan prefectures, as well as in Xiangyuan County, Changzhi City, Shanxi Province.

HPV infection and the resulting cervical cancer pose a major challenge to women's health in China. The 2021 ICO/IARC China HPV and Related Diseases Report indicates that among women aged 15 to 44 in China, the incidence of cervical cancer ranks third among all malignant tumors and has become the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in this age group.^[1]In recent years, the incidence of cervical cancer has shown an upward trend.^[2], placing a heavy burden on individuals and society.

Almost all cervical cancers are associated with genital HPV infection, and HPV infection is a necessary condition for the development of cervical cancer.^[3][4]。Age-eligible women can significantly reduce their risk of HPV infection and cervical cancer through HPV vaccination.

Shi Yuankai, Chairman of the China Cancer Foundation

Shi Yuankai, Chairman of the China Cancer Foundation, stated that eliminating cervical cancer is a crucial task for improving public health and realizing the "Healthy China" initiative. In recent years, the Chinese government has attached great importance to the prevention and control of cervical cancer, continuously enhancing public awareness of prevention and treatment knowledge, promoting free cervical cancer screening, and improving diagnostic and treatment standards. These efforts fully demonstrate the government's determination to safeguard women's rights and interests and promote women's health development.

“Supported by various policies, we are able to accelerate the pace of eliminating cervical cancer in China. Increasing the HPV vaccination rate is key to shifting the focus of cervical cancer prevention and control to earlier stages, requiring the collaborative efforts of multiple sectors across society, including the government, professional societies, and enterprises,” Chairman Shi Yuankai pointed out. “The HPV vaccines that MSD plans to donate to the Chinese Cancer Foundation will be delivered to remote, economically underdeveloped regions, enabling eligible women in these areas to benefit promptly and helping to lower their risk of developing cervical cancer. We appreciate MSD, as a socially responsible enterprise, for its contributions to supporting cervical cancer prevention and control and advancing public health in China.”

Qiao Youlin, Deputy Secretary-General, China Cancer Foundation

Professor Qiao Youlin, Deputy Secretary-General and Director of the Project Department at the Chinese Foundation for Cancer Research, and from the School of Population Medicine and Public Health, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, noted that with the introduction of HPV vaccines in China, the implementation of government-led cervical cancer screening programs, and improved public awareness, the conditions for eliminating cervical cancer are steadily maturing. However, in grassroots areas, the prevention and control of HPV and cervical cancer still require further enhancement. “The gradual expansion of HPV vaccine coverage to grassroots areas and the further improvement in accessibility represent significant progress in China’s efforts to eliminate cervical cancer. We must continue to strengthen cervical cancer education at the grassroots level, increase screening, early diagnosis, and treatment rates across all regions, and reduce the risks and impacts of cervical cancer across every stage from prevention to treatment.”

Address by Ms. Anna Tian, President of MSD China

Anna Tian, President of MSD China, stated that MSD remains steadfastly focused on the health needs of women in China and globally, and is dedicated to helping women reduce their risk of HPV infection and cervical cancer through vaccination. As the first company worldwide to launch quadrivalent and nine-valent HPV vaccines, MSD has ushered in a new era of vaccine-based cervical cancer prevention. Since the quadrivalent and nine-valent HPV vaccines were launched in China in 2017 and 2018, respectively, MSD has consistently increased its HPV vaccine supply to China year by year to meet growing demand in the country. As of September 2021, MSD’s HPV vaccines have benefited nearly 14 million age-eligible Chinese women. Meanwhile, MSD is actively conducting clinical trials to expand the indications for its HPV vaccines, aiming to cover more age groups and populations, and to safeguard the health of more people in China.

“Caring for women’s health means caring for our families. This is an unshirkable mission for everyone and bears directly on social progress; eliminating cervical cancer is a shared vision for all of humanity,” emphasized Anna Tian. “For years, MSD has been dedicated to raising public awareness of HPV and cervical cancer, driving innovative R&D for HPV vaccines, and improving vaccine accessibility. Our plan to donate HPV vaccines to the China Cancer Foundation is yet another testament to our commitment in China and our dedication to enhancing lives. We will continue to partner with stakeholders across society to reach more women in remote areas, accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer, and support the grand vision of ‘Healthy China.’”

[1] ICO/IARC HPV Information Centre. Human Papillomavirus and Related Diseases Report. China, 2021.10.22

[2] Branch of Women's Health Care, Chinese Preventive Medicine Association. Comprehensive Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Cervical Cancer. Beijing: People's Medical Publishing House. 2017

[3] Qiao Youlin. Current status of epidemiological research on human papillomavirus infection and cervical cancer in Chinese women and prospects for vaccine prevention. Chinese Journal of Epidemiology. 2007

[4] Walboomers JMM, Jacobs MV,Manos MM, et al. Human papillomavirus is a necessary cause of invasive cervical cancer worldwide.J. Pathol. 1999

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