Description
Over a half-million women in the world get cervical cancer every year, with nearly 80 percent in developing countries.
Human papilloma virus, or HPV, causes the cancer and is therefore among the worst instigators of female cancer mortality worldwide.
A vaccine is now available against the disease—but how effective is it, and can it save lives in poor, remote regions as well as wealthy areas?
This program visits India, where conservative values regarding sexuality make drug distribution and compliance especially challenging, and Costa Rica, where clinical trials of an HPV vaccine are taking place.
The importance of developing a fast, low-tech screening method is also discussed extensively.
This film is part of the KILL OR CURE series of 57 x 25-minute documentaries produced for the BBC. These films can be bought individually or as a series.