• AIIMS, Delhi, is launching a groundbreaking project to validate made-in-India HPV testing kits for cervical cancer screening.

• The study will assess kit efficacy using global samples, starting with 1,200 of patients above 30 years of age with the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) biorepository in France.

• Prof Neerja Bhatla, study investigator, emphasized the importance of accurate HPV screening to combat India's high cervical cancer burden and the affordability issue of the kits.

• The test involves cervical sample collection, similar to a Pap smear for detection. 

• The initial work on indigenous kits began in 2016; now, cheaper, faster kits are developed to improve screening accessibility.

• The study, lasting three months, aims for credible results to inform national program implementation by year-end.

• Collaborations have been made with the IARC and other institutes, which will help expedite the sample collection and testing, cutting study time significantly.

• The importance of validating low-cost HPV tests for the Indian population to enhance cancer detection and control is the need of the hour.

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