International study validates indigenous HPV assays, offering a major boost to cervical cancer prevention in low-resource settings

In a major breakthrough for women's health and cancer prevention, researchers have confirmed that several affordable, India-developed HPV tests can accurately detect high-risk Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infections while meeting internationally accepted performance standards. The findings could significantly expand access to cervical cancer screening, particularly in resource-constrained regions where conventional testing remains difficult to implement.

The study, published in the International Journal of Cancer, evaluated four point-of-care high-risk HPV assays, including two reduced-valency tests specifically designed to improve screening efficiency while lowering unnecessary referrals. The research was conducted through a collaboration involving Indian institutions, international cancer research organizations, and public health experts from multiple countries.

Cervical cancer continues to be one of the most preventable yet deadly cancers affecting women worldwide. Persistent infection with high-risk HPV types is responsible for nearly 95 percent of cervical cancer cases. While the World Health Organization recommends HPV testing as the primary method for cervical cancer screening, access to affordable and reliable testing remains a major challenge in many low- and middle-income countries.

Against this backdrop, researchers set out to validate four HPV detection technologies developed for use in settings with limited healthcare infrastructure. The tests included HPV-Q, PathoDetect HPV-7, PathoDetect HPV-14, and Truenat HR-HPV-Plus.

The study analyzed nearly 1,000 cervical samples collected through established screening programs and compared the performance of the new assays against internationally recognized reference tests. Researchers assessed their ability to accurately identify women at risk of cervical precancer and cancer, while also evaluating reproducibility and specificity.

Among the evaluated technologies, Truenat HR-HPV-Plus emerged as a particularly strong performer. The assay demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity and successfully met international validation criteria. Researchers found that its performance was comparable to established laboratory-based HPV tests while maintaining the advantages of a rapid, affordable, and accessible point-of-care platform.

The reduced-valency assays also showed promising results. By focusing on the HPV types most strongly associated with cervical cancer, these tests demonstrated improved specificity, reducing the likelihood of unnecessary referrals, additional investigations, and anxiety for women undergoing screening.

According to the researchers, such innovations could play a critical role in strengthening national screening programs and supporting global efforts to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem.

"Access to high-quality HPV testing remains one of the biggest challenges in cervical cancer prevention, particularly in low-resource settings. Our study demonstrates that affordable, point-of-care HPV tests developed in India can achieve internationally accepted standards of accuracy and reliability. These innovations have the potential to expand screening coverage, reduce unnecessary referrals, and bring life-saving cervical cancer prevention services closer to women who need them most," said Prof. Neerja Bhatla, President, AIIMS Bathinda, and corresponding author of the study.

The findings carry special significance for India, which continues to shoulder a substantial cervical cancer burden despite advances in screening and vaccination efforts. Experts believe that affordable, decentralized HPV testing can help bridge healthcare gaps in rural and underserved regions, ensuring that more women receive timely diagnosis and treatment before cancer develops.

As countries around the world work toward the WHO's goal of eliminating cervical cancer, the successful validation of these indigenous technologies marks an important milestone. By combining scientific rigor with affordability and accessibility, these Made-in-India innovations could help transform cervical cancer screening and save countless lives in the years ahead.