Amid Reports Of Consent Concerns, Centre Clarifies HPV Vaccination Is Voluntary

Dismissing reports that the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is being administered without parental consent, the Union Health Ministry has clarified that the nationwide campaign is voluntary and requires mandatory parental approval before the vaccine is given to adolescents.

The clarification came after concerns were raised in some quarters about the ongoing vaccination drive targeting 14-year-old girls across the country. In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Health Prataprao Jadhav said the programme was rolled out after extensive consultation with national and global scientific bodies.

The nationwide HPV vaccination campaign was launched on February 28, 2026, following recommendations from organisations such as the WHO, the ICMR, and the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization.

Several states have begun implementing vaccination drives against Human Papillomavirus (HPV) following the national rollout aimed at preventing cervical cancer among adolescent girls. States such as Rajasthan, Bihar, Karnataka, Telangana, and Uttarakhand have started vaccination campaigns through government health facilities.

Under the programme, a single dose of the HPV vaccine is being administered free of cost at government health facilities, including Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Community Health Centres (CHCs), district hospitals, and government medical colleges. Beneficiaries can register through the U-WIN portal, which tracks vaccination records and ensures transparency in the immunisation process, Union Minister of State for Health Prataprao Jadhav told the Lok Sabha in a written reply.

To address safety concerns, the minister said vaccinations are conducted under the supervision of medical officers and are linked to 24-hour Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) management centres to ensure a prompt response in the rare event of complications. Health personnel across all states and Union Territories have undergone extensive training before the rollout of the programme.

Public health experts say the vaccine plays a crucial role in preventing cervical cancer, which remains one of the leading cancers affecting women in India.

Dr. Pragya Shukla, Head of Department, Clinical Oncology at Delhi State Cancer Institute, said that introducing HPV vaccination through the public health system is an important step toward preventing cervical cancer. “The vaccine is safe and effective, and parental consent remains an essential part of the programme. Awareness among families is key to ensuring that eligible adolescents benefit from this preventive intervention,” she said.

“The ideal time to take the vaccine is before the start of sexual activity. The virus does not cause any symptoms and the only protection is prevention, as once infected, the vaccine or any other drug cannot treat it. It will not only provide protection against cervical cancer but also vulvar, vaginal, anal, and oropharyngeal cancer."

“Even boys are being given this vaccine in the West, as that provides protection against penile cancers in addition to other cancers.”

The government also pointed to a series of regulatory reforms introduced over the past decade to strengthen ethical oversight in biomedical research and clinical trials, including the implementation of the New Drugs and Clinical Trials Rules, 2019, and mandatory registration of trials on the Clinical Trials Registry of India.