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Scoop
5 days ago
- Health
- Scoop
Include Males Too In Addressing Human Papilloma Virus And Related Cancers
Press Release – CNS Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is a common sexually transmitted infection. Since an effective HPV vaccine exists and HPV screening and treatment of pre-cancer lesions can save lives, no one should be suffering from any of the HPV related cancer or … Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is a common sexually transmitted infection. Since an effective HPV vaccine exists and HPV screening and treatment of pre-cancer lesions can save lives, no one should be suffering from any of the HPV related cancer or had to die of it. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), HPV do not cause health concerns in most infected people (of all genders), but persistent HPV infection with some high-risk genotypes is common and can cause genital warts or cancer. For example, almost all cervical cancer, which is the 4th top cancers among women worldwide, is caused by HPV. HPV also causes cancers of vulva, vagina, mouth/throat (oropharyngeal), penis and anus. Despite cervical cancer being preventable and curable (if detected early and managed effectively), more than 660,000 women developed cervical cancer in 2022. Over 350,000 women died of cervical cancer in 2022. In 2019, HPV caused over 70,000 cancer cases in men too. HPV screening must be done with DNA test, not pap smear or VIA 'We have a large burden of cervical cancer in India – one woman dies every 8 minutes due to this preventable cancer. All women above the age of 30 years, must undergo cervical cancer screening with an HPV DNA molecular test (and not by pap smear or visual inspection with acetic acid – VIA),' said Dr Smita Joshi, a noted scientist who has made a significant contribution to advancing HPV vaccine and screening research and science-backed interventions in the past two decades. National Family Health Survey (NFHS) of India 2019-2021 shows that among women age 15-49, only 1.2% ever got a screening for cervical cancer in India. WHO Cervical Cancer Elimination Initiative (adopted in 2021) sets the goal of at least 70% of the eligible women to get screened. 'There is a large gap in HPV screening of eligible women in India,' points out Dr Joshi. Dr Joshi leads the Department of Preventive Oncology, Prayas (a non-profit). Dr Joshi has been a principal investigator for HPV vaccine and cervical cancer related research studies of WHO's IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) since 2009. She also serves as Programme Director at Jahangir Clinical Development Centre (JCDC) in Pune, India. Connect the dots: HPV, HIV and all genders Women living with HIV are at 6 times higher risk of HPV-related cervical cancer compared to those without HIV. HPV also infects men. For example, studies show that rates of HPV have shown to be alarmingly high among men who have sex with men. Mumbai-based microbiologist and researcher Dr Prapti Gilada-Toshinwal presented an important study at 10th Asia Pacific AIDS and Co-Infections Conference (APACC 2025) in Japan. This study was done to determine the prevalence of HPV anal infection among 105 men who have sex with men who were seeking care at Unison Medicare and Research Centre (a comprehensive infectious diseases centre) between August 2022 and December 2024. It is important to note that Unison Medicare and Research Centre has been serving around 10,000 people living with HIV since last 35 years. Around 80% study participants came from Mumbai and rest of them were from other cities of India except 3 who came from other countries. '70% of study participants were living with HIV,' said Dr Prapti Gilada. 'Overall, anal HPV infection rate was 62%.' She serves as CEO and consultant microbiologist at UniLabs Diagnostics. 'Some of them also had other sexually transmitted infections such as syphilis, chlamydia, or gonorrhoea.' 'In the study we offered DNA test for HPV to all eligible study participants (105 men who have sex with men) who were receiving medical care at our centre. Most common HPV high risk genotype was 16. Other common high-risk HPV genotypes found among study participants were 18 and 45,' said Dr Prapti Gilada. 'HPV positivity rates were higher in those study participants who were also living with HIV (68.5%) compared to those without HIV (48%),' said Dr Prapti Gilada, who is also an independent Director of Thyrocare. Global data shows that among men who have sex with men, HPV is higher among those who are living with HIV than those without it. She was speaking with CNS before 2nd Asia Pacific Conference on Point-of-Care Diagnostics for Infectious Diseases (POC 2025) and 13th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Science (IAS 2025) open. Dr Prapti Gilada calls for raising awareness, health and treatment literacy among the masses so that eligible boys and men and girls and women can access HPV vaccination, HPV screening and management of pre-cancerous lesions and other health issues. She also hopes governments will make HPV vaccination available to all those eligible of all genders, as well as screening and appropriate management. Dr Prapti Gilada cites a study published in The Lancet in 2023 which showed that almost 1 in 3 men over the age of 15 were infected with at least one genital HPV genotype, and 1 in 5 men were infected with one or more of high risk (or oncogenic) HPV genotypes. It is high time all eligible boys and men too are included in HPV responses globally Agrees Vijay Nair who is the Chairperson of Udaan Trust and a prominent community rights activist from India: 'With no HPV vaccination and screening facilities for males, there are people who have even probably died with undiagnosed HPV-related anal cancers or other health issues. Some may be getting services for piles or anal fissures or fistula as there is hardly any HPV screening facilities for anal HPV. We need to screen high-risk men for HPV and HPV related health conditions including pre-cancerous lesions or anal cancers. Also, we need to include males too for vaccination against HPV.' Vijay was speaking at the India's National Dialogue and Stakeholder Consultation held last month in preventing cancers and addressing ageing among people living with HIV. It was organised by National Coalition of People Living with HIV in India (NCPI Plus). Colposcopy and anoscopy: Do we have enough facilities? Those with persistent HPV infection may need a specialised follow up medical examination with colposcopy (medical experts examine with an equipment for any HPV-related changes or abnormalities in vulva, vagina or cervix of women) or anoscopy (medical experts examine with an equipment for any HPV-related changes or abnormalities in anus or rectum). If any changes or abnormalities, further appropriate medical treatment is required. 'We need more medical centres for anoscopy,' said Dr Prapti Gilada whose study participants may require further follow up. Her centre is continuing to follow up with all the study participants, one of whom has become HPV negative during the study. Dr Smita Joshi is a widely recognised colposcopy trainer too. 'We have screened over 40,000 women for HPV and cervical cancer and managed them appropriately as per the WHO latest guidelines.' Her centre at Prayas is a recognised colposcopy centre too which has trained several medical professionals including gynaecologists from within India and other countries too. She appeals for financial resources to scale up trainings of medical professionals in India and other countries which would go a long way in strengthening capacities and competencies towards addressing HPV and related cancers. Addressing HPV lacks ambition Governments have promised to eliminate cervical cancer by end of this century. In order to be on track towards cervical cancer elimination, all countries must reach and maintain an incidence rate of below 4 per 100,000 women. Achieving that goal rests on 3 key pillars and their corresponding targets to be achieved by 2030 so that countries are on track towards eliminating cervical cancer by end of the century. – vaccination: 90% of all eligible young people must be fully vaccinated with the HPV vaccine by the age of 15 – screening: 70% of women should be screened using a high-performance test by the age of 35, and again by the age of 45 – treatment: 90% of women with pre-cancer treated and 90% of women with invasive cancer managed. Cervical cancer is preventable as vaccines exist since almost two decades now. HPV screening and DNA tests exist. Medical management of pre-cancerous lesions can save lives and avert cancers. Is not a goal to eliminate cervical cancer by turn of this century, lacking ambition? India's first indigenously validated Truenat HPV-HR Plus test in April 2025 Indian government announced in April 2025, India's first indigenously developed and point-of-care HPV DNA molecular test is Truenat HPV-HR Plus test that screens people for 8 high-risk genotypes (16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 45, 52 and 58). These 8 high-risk HPV genotypes cause over 96% of cervical cancers globally. Truenat HPV-HR Plus is developed by Indian company (Molbio Diagnostics). Its independent multi-centric validation was done by Government of India's Department of Biotechnology, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) and Grand Challenges India. This independent validation of Truenat HPV-HR Plus was conducted under the study 'Validating Indigenous Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Tests for Cervical Cancer Screening in India.' The study involved leading Indian government's research institutes, including All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi, ICMR National Institute for Cancer Prevention and Research (NICPR) Noida, and ICMR National Institute for Research in Reproductive and Child Health (NIRRCH) Mumbai, in collaboration with WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). However, Truenat HPV-HR DNA molecular test has been around for over 2 years now to screen people for 4 high-risk genotypes. Follow the science: Vaccinate and screen all eligible people for HPV and related cancers Dr Smita Joshi led several researchers in her distinguished career over two decades. She was part of a multi-centric study of WHO's IARC on HPV vaccine which was initiated in 2009 onwards. This study was to evaluate efficacy of HPV vaccine (2 doses vs 3 doses at 0, 2 and 6 months). However, due to government's order to stop HPV vaccination in studies (owing to adverse outcomes in a PATH study), Dr Joshi's study also had to stop vaccination abruptly in April 2009. 'Because of that suspension of HPV vaccinatio, instead of two versus three doses, this study resulted in a cohort of girls that had received only a single dose, two doses (at 0 and 2 months), two doses (at 0 and 6 months) and three doses (at 0, 2 and 6 months). So, the long-term follow-up of these vaccinated girls is still being carried out since then,' said Dr Joshi. 'We have now completed 15 years of the study and of immunogenicity data.' Dr Joshi's study majorly impacted and contributed to informing vaccine dosage in many countries as well as to WHO's recommendation of single dose HP vaccination in the young girls. She was also part of the HPV vaccine study (for India's indigenously developed HPV vaccine Ceravac). She wonders when HPV vaccine would become a part of Indian government's public vaccination programme. Some Indian states (like Sikkim, Delhi, Punjab) had introduced HPV vaccination using a foreign-made vaccine) but latest information on status of these programmes is not with us. Dr Prapti Gilada and Udaan's Vijay Nair too call for including HPV vaccination for those eligible from all genders in the government's programme at the earliest – as well as HPV screening and management of all related health conditions especially pre-cancerous lesions and cancers. Dr Smita Joshi adds that when government of India includes indigenously developed HPV vaccine in its programme, then 'one good thing about Ceravac of Serum Institute of India is that it is also approved for boys. Appeal to world leaders who will meet at UNHLM on NCDs Next High Level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases (UNHLM on NCDs) will happen in September 2025 at the United Nations General Assembly. Although HPV is an infection, yet it causes one of the top cancers worldwide. We appeal to world leaders to commit to scale up HPV vaccination for all those eligible (regardless of genders), and screen all eligible people (regardless of gender) for HPV and related pre-cancerous and cancerous conditions. Developing vaccine or point-of-care diagnostics is not enough but deploying them at point-of-need in the Global South is critical pathway towards increasing access to lifesaving services and improving HPV-related responses on the ground. Shobha Shukla – CNS (Citizen News Service) (Shobha Shukla is the award-winning founding Managing Editor and Executive Director of CNS (Citizen News Service) and is a feminist, health and development justice advocate. She is a former senior Physics faculty of prestigious Loreto Convent College and current Coordinator of Asia Pacific Regional Media Alliance for Health and Development (APCAT Media) and Chairperson of Global AMR Media Alliance (GAMA received AMR One Health Emerging Leaders and Outstanding Talents Award 2024). She also coordinates SHE & Rights initiative (Sexual health with equity & rights). Follow her on Twitter @shobha1shukla or read her writings here
Scoop
5 days ago
- Health
- Scoop
Include Males Too In Addressing Human Papilloma Virus And Related Cancers
Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is a common sexually transmitted infection. Since an effective HPV vaccine exists and HPV screening and treatment of pre-cancer lesions can save lives, no one should be suffering from any of the HPV related cancer or had to die of it. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), HPV do not cause health concerns in most infected people (of all genders), but persistent HPV infection with some high-risk genotypes is common and can cause genital warts or cancer. For example, almost all cervical cancer, which is the 4th top cancers among women worldwide, is caused by HPV. HPV also causes cancers of vulva, vagina, mouth/throat (oropharyngeal), penis and anus. Despite cervical cancer being preventable and curable (if detected early and managed effectively), more than 660,000 women developed cervical cancer in 2022. Over 350,000 women died of cervical cancer in 2022. In 2019, HPV caused over 70,000 cancer cases in men too. HPV screening must be done with DNA test, not pap smear or VIA 'We have a large burden of cervical cancer in India - one woman dies every 8 minutes due to this preventable cancer. All women above the age of 30 years, must undergo cervical cancer screening with an HPV DNA molecular test (and not by pap smear or visual inspection with acetic acid – VIA),' said Dr Smita Joshi, a noted scientist who has made a significant contribution to advancing HPV vaccine and screening research and science-backed interventions in the past two decades. National Family Health Survey (NFHS) of India 2019-2021 shows that among women age 15-49, only 1.2% ever got a screening for cervical cancer in India. WHO Cervical Cancer Elimination Initiative (adopted in 2021) sets the goal of at least 70% of the eligible women to get screened. 'There is a large gap in HPV screening of eligible women in India,' points out Dr Joshi. Dr Joshi leads the Department of Preventive Oncology, Prayas (a non-profit). Dr Joshi has been a principal investigator for HPV vaccine and cervical cancer related research studies of WHO's IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) since 2009. She also serves as Programme Director at Jahangir Clinical Development Centre (JCDC) in Pune, India. Connect the dots: HPV, HIV and all genders Women living with HIV are at 6 times higher risk of HPV-related cervical cancer compared to those without HIV. HPV also infects men. For example, studies show that rates of HPV have shown to be alarmingly high among men who have sex with men. Mumbai-based microbiologist and researcher Dr Prapti Gilada-Toshinwal presented an important study at 10th Asia Pacific AIDS and Co-Infections Conference (APACC 2025) in Japan. This study was done to determine the prevalence of HPV anal infection among 105 men who have sex with men who were seeking care at Unison Medicare and Research Centre (a comprehensive infectious diseases centre) between August 2022 and December 2024. It is important to note that Unison Medicare and Research Centre has been serving around 10,000 people living with HIV since last 35 years. Around 80% study participants came from Mumbai and rest of them were from other cities of India except 3 who came from other countries. '70% of study participants were living with HIV,' said Dr Prapti Gilada. 'Overall, anal HPV infection rate was 62%.' She serves as CEO and consultant microbiologist at UniLabs Diagnostics. 'Some of them also had other sexually transmitted infections such as syphilis, chlamydia, or gonorrhoea.' 'In the study we offered DNA test for HPV to all eligible study participants (105 men who have sex with men) who were receiving medical care at our centre. Most common HPV high risk genotype was 16. Other common high-risk HPV genotypes found among study participants were 18 and 45,' said Dr Prapti Gilada. 'HPV positivity rates were higher in those study participants who were also living with HIV (68.5%) compared to those without HIV (48%),' said Dr Prapti Gilada, who is also an independent Director of Thyrocare. Global data shows that among men who have sex with men, HPV is higher among those who are living with HIV than those without it. She was speaking with CNS before 2nd Asia Pacific Conference on Point-of-Care Diagnostics for Infectious Diseases (POC 2025) and 13th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Science (IAS 2025) open. Dr Prapti Gilada calls for raising awareness, health and treatment literacy among the masses so that eligible boys and men and girls and women can access HPV vaccination, HPV screening and management of pre-cancerous lesions and other health issues. She also hopes governments will make HPV vaccination available to all those eligible of all genders, as well as screening and appropriate management. Dr Prapti Gilada cites a study published in The Lancet in 2023 which showed that almost 1 in 3 men over the age of 15 were infected with at least one genital HPV genotype, and 1 in 5 men were infected with one or more of high risk (or oncogenic) HPV genotypes. It is high time all eligible boys and men too are included in HPV responses globally Agrees Vijay Nair who is the Chairperson of Udaan Trust and a prominent community rights activist from India: 'With no HPV vaccination and screening facilities for males, there are people who have even probably died with undiagnosed HPV-related anal cancers or other health issues. Some may be getting services for piles or anal fissures or fistula as there is hardly any HPV screening facilities for anal HPV. We need to screen high-risk men for HPV and HPV related health conditions including pre-cancerous lesions or anal cancers. Also, we need to include males too for vaccination against HPV." Vijay was speaking at the India's National Dialogue and Stakeholder Consultation held last month in preventing cancers and addressing ageing among people living with HIV. It was organised by National Coalition of People Living with HIV in India (NCPI Plus). Colposcopy and anoscopy: Do we have enough facilities? Those with persistent HPV infection may need a specialised follow up medical examination with colposcopy (medical experts examine with an equipment for any HPV-related changes or abnormalities in vulva, vagina or cervix of women) or anoscopy (medical experts examine with an equipment for any HPV-related changes or abnormalities in anus or rectum). If any changes or abnormalities, further appropriate medical treatment is required. 'We need more medical centres for anoscopy,' said Dr Prapti Gilada whose study participants may require further follow up. Her centre is continuing to follow up with all the study participants, one of whom has become HPV negative during the study. Dr Smita Joshi is a widely recognised colposcopy trainer too. 'We have screened over 40,000 women for HPV and cervical cancer and managed them appropriately as per the WHO latest guidelines.' Her centre at Prayas is a recognised colposcopy centre too which has trained several medical professionals including gynaecologists from within India and other countries too. She appeals for financial resources to scale up trainings of medical professionals in India and other countries which would go a long way in strengthening capacities and competencies towards addressing HPV and related cancers. Addressing HPV lacks ambition Governments have promised to eliminate cervical cancer by end of this century. In order to be on track towards cervical cancer elimination, all countries must reach and maintain an incidence rate of below 4 per 100,000 women. Achieving that goal rests on 3 key pillars and their corresponding targets to be achieved by 2030 so that countries are on track towards eliminating cervical cancer by end of the century. - vaccination: 90% of all eligible young people must be fully vaccinated with the HPV vaccine by the age of 15 - screening: 70% of women should be screened using a high-performance test by the age of 35, and again by the age of 45 - treatment: 90% of women with pre-cancer treated and 90% of women with invasive cancer managed. Cervical cancer is preventable as vaccines exist since almost two decades now. HPV screening and DNA tests exist. Medical management of pre-cancerous lesions can save lives and avert cancers. Is not a goal to eliminate cervical cancer by turn of this century, lacking ambition? India's first indigenously validated Truenat HPV-HR Plus test in April 2025 Indian government announced in April 2025, India's first indigenously developed and point-of-care HPV DNA molecular test is Truenat HPV-HR Plus test that screens people for 8 high-risk genotypes (16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 45, 52 and 58). These 8 high-risk HPV genotypes cause over 96% of cervical cancers globally. Truenat HPV-HR Plus is developed by Indian company (Molbio Diagnostics). Its independent multi-centric validation was done by Government of India's Department of Biotechnology, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) and Grand Challenges India. This independent validation of Truenat HPV-HR Plus was conducted under the study 'Validating Indigenous Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Tests for Cervical Cancer Screening in India.' The study involved leading Indian government's research institutes, including All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi, ICMR National Institute for Cancer Prevention and Research (NICPR) Noida, and ICMR National Institute for Research in Reproductive and Child Health (NIRRCH) Mumbai, in collaboration with WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). However, Truenat HPV-HR DNA molecular test has been around for over 2 years now to screen people for 4 high-risk genotypes. Follow the science: Vaccinate and screen all eligible people for HPV and related cancers Dr Smita Joshi led several researchers in her distinguished career over two decades. She was part of a multi-centric study of WHO's IARC on HPV vaccine which was initiated in 2009 onwards. This study was to evaluate efficacy of HPV vaccine (2 doses vs 3 doses at 0, 2 and 6 months). However, due to government's order to stop HPV vaccination in studies (owing to adverse outcomes in a PATH study), Dr Joshi's study also had to stop vaccination abruptly in April 2009. "Because of that suspension of HPV vaccinatio, instead of two versus three doses, this study resulted in a cohort of girls that had received only a single dose, two doses (at 0 and 2 months), two doses (at 0 and 6 months) and three doses (at 0, 2 and 6 months). So, the long-term follow-up of these vaccinated girls is still being carried out since then," said Dr Joshi. "We have now completed 15 years of the study and of immunogenicity data." Dr Joshi's study majorly impacted and contributed to informing vaccine dosage in many countries as well as to WHO's recommendation of single dose HP vaccination in the young girls. She was also part of the HPV vaccine study (for India's indigenously developed HPV vaccine Ceravac). She wonders when HPV vaccine would become a part of Indian government's public vaccination programme. Some Indian states (like Sikkim, Delhi, Punjab) had introduced HPV vaccination using a foreign-made vaccine) but latest information on status of these programmes is not with us. Dr Prapti Gilada and Udaan's Vijay Nair too call for including HPV vaccination for those eligible from all genders in the government's programme at the earliest - as well as HPV screening and management of all related health conditions especially pre-cancerous lesions and cancers. Dr Smita Joshi adds that when government of India includes indigenously developed HPV vaccine in its programme, then "one good thing about Ceravac of Serum Institute of India is that it is also approved for boys. Appeal to world leaders who will meet at UNHLM on NCDs Next High Level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases (UNHLM on NCDs) will happen in September 2025 at the United Nations General Assembly. Although HPV is an infection, yet it causes one of the top cancers worldwide. We appeal to world leaders to commit to scale up HPV vaccination for all those eligible (regardless of genders), and screen all eligible people (regardless of gender) for HPV and related pre-cancerous and cancerous conditions. Developing vaccine or point-of-care diagnostics is not enough but deploying them at point-of-need in the Global South is critical pathway towards increasing access to lifesaving services and improving HPV-related responses on the ground. Shobha Shukla – CNS (Citizen News Service) (Shobha Shukla is the award-winning founding Managing Editor and Executive Director of CNS (Citizen News Service) and is a feminist, health and development justice advocate. She is a former senior Physics faculty of prestigious Loreto Convent College and current Coordinator of Asia Pacific Regional Media Alliance for Health and Development (APCAT Media) and Chairperson of Global AMR Media Alliance (GAMA received AMR One Health Emerging Leaders and Outstanding Talents Award 2024). She also coordinates SHE & Rights initiative (Sexual health with equity & rights). Follow her on Twitter @shobha1shukla or read her writings here
News18
05-06-2025
- Business
- News18
Flexible, Conscious, Unique: The New Face of Indian Living Spaces
Last Updated: A new wave of consumers is embracing circular living - a lifestyle built on flexibility, conscious consumption, and environmental responsibility As India's urban population grows more mobile and mindful, the concept of 'home" is being radically redefined. No longer tethered to traditional notions of permanence and ownership, a new wave of consumers is embracing circular living – a lifestyle built on flexibility, conscious consumption, and environmental responsibility. This shift is pushing home furnishing brands, both legacy-backed and new-age, to rethink how they design, distribute, and connect with consumers. Flexibility Without Compromise Today's young, urban Indians—often living in rented spaces or moving between cities due to career changes are turning to access-based models that balance utility and style. They seek YOUnique homes that reflect their personality, even in temporary spaces. 'While rental and access-based models offer practicality, we're seeing a growing preference for selectively investing in statement pieces that make even temporary spaces feel personal and premium," said Smita Joshi, Vice President, Nesterra, a brand from the KK Birla Group's Sutlej Textiles & Industries. 'Our premium home furnishings are thoughtfully designed with a customer-first approach, crafted for those who may rent their homes but want to truly own their space." Nesterra's collections are deeply inspired by nature, culture, and individuality, helping consumers create spaces that are vibrant, comfortable, and authentically theirs. In keeping with the circular ethos, the brand also upcycles fabric waste into functional decor and accessories proof that sustainability can coexist with style. 'Circular living, to me, means conscious living owning what matters, and making it last," added Joshi. 'Circular economy is no longer an abstract idea but a practical choice for the millennial consumer," noted Rajiv Merchant, CEO, Texzone Information Services Pvt Ltd. 'With growing awareness around sustainability and a desire to refresh their home aesthetics every few years, younger buyers are moving away from long-term ownership models." According to Merchant, this behavioral change is already influencing how brands operate. From modular designs and shorter innovation cycles to flexible product offerings, the Indian home decor space is rapidly adapting to meet the needs of this new consumer. 'We believe circular living is shaping not just how Indian homes look, but how the next generation lives—flexible, conscious, and always evolving." Building Conscious Systems At the forefront of circular living is Furlenco, a rental-first brand that's embedded sustainability into its very DNA. Its entire business model is predicated on reuse and refurbishment—a stark contrast to the traditional buy-and-dispose cycle. 'At Furlenco, circularity is not an initiative, it's core to who we are," said Ajay Agarwal, Chief Operations Officer at Furlenco. 'Our furniture returns to us after use, gets carefully refurbished, and is then delivered to the next customer. This closed-loop model ensures extended product lifecycles and reduces environmental impact." The results are telling: Furlenco has kept thousands of high-quality furniture pieces in circulation, saving over 50,000 trees and reducing landfill waste. The company has also minimized its carbon footprint by switching to electric vehicles for last-mile delivery and cutting down plastic-based packaging. 'Circular living is about creating a positive, lasting impact. It's about building systems that are not just convenient but conscious," Agarwal emphasized. As consumer lifestyles continue to evolve, so too will their expectations from home brands. The rise of circular living isn't just a passing trend it's a movement redefining what it means to live well. Whether through upcycled fabrics, modular furniture, or rental-based models that emphasize reuse, India's home furnishing sector is embracing change with open arms. And as the lines between permanence and impermanence blur, one thing remains clear: the future of home is flexible, sustainable, and deeply personal. First Published: June 05, 2025, 06:05 IST
Indian Express
13-05-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
Cervical cancer screening at home? US FDA approves kit. Why is this significant?
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved a first of its kind use-at-home cervical cancer screening tool. Known as 'Teal Wand,' it allows women to collect their vaginal sample at home and send it to the lab for detection of the cervical cancer-causing Human Papillomavirus (HPV). It is less painful than the invasive Pap smear test. The Pap smear detects abnormal cells in the cervix (narrow end of the uterus connected to the vagina), which can indicate cervical cancer or precancerous changes. However, many women find this test uncomfortable or painful due to the insertion of a metal speculum and the scraping of cells.. The US device comes with a brush. So no need to put off pelvic examinations. A US study showed that the at-home cervical cancer screening test is as accurate as a clinical test (96 per cent accuracy) and is preferred by 94 per cent of women. According to Dr Smita Joshi, a senior scientist at Prayas Health Group, 'Worldwide two out of three women have never been screened in their lifetime and hence improving the screening coverage is important. Self-sampling can help reach the never screened or hard to reach population.' This gap is the reason why women in low-and middle- income countries have the highest cervical cancer burden. In India, such home collection of samples is still rife with challenges. 'For instance, the logistics of shipping the samplers to the women, ensuring that they understand why this screening is important, correctly following the instructions and collecting the sample are still complex tasks for rural women,' Dr Joshi observed. However, this can also be done with the help of healthcare personnel in remote areas till the women become aware and capable of doing this by themselves, she feels. Dr Joshi and her team have evaluated if the self-sample collected by the home-grown CERVICHECK kit yields the same test report as that of the clinician-collected cervical sample. The study was conducted in Pune and Baroda with 156 women participants and showed almost similar accuracy results as the clinician's test. The kit contains an instruction manual, a biohazard bag for keeping the sample and the device itself. It comes as a tube encasing a cytobrush with a piston. Once the tube is inserted in the vagina, one has to rotate the knob clockwise. This pushes the brush deeper inside to collect tissue samples. Once done, the brush is dropped into the collection bag. The women participants rated the self-sampling kit and found its convenience, ease-of-use, comfort and painlessness at 90 per cent and above. The World Health Organisation's (WHO) envisages cervical cancer screening of 70% of women at least twice in their lifetime, once at 35 and again at 45. 'Although HPV vaccination of adolescent girls will help in reducing cervical cancer incidence in low- and middle-income countries by more than 85 per cent over the next century, adult women, who do not benefit from preventive HPV vaccines, need immediate cervical cancer screening and appropriate management of pre-cancers,' Dr Joshi said.
