GARDASIL by Merck
http://www.thedoctorslounge.net/oncology/articles/cervix/vaccine_gardasil/
Vaccine in development:
The researchers believe HPV vaccination would probably be most effective if
administered to 10 to 13-year-olds before they become sexually active and while
they are likely to be free of the virus. The duration of immunity is unknown
at the moment, but is predicted to be between 2 to 5 years.
Merck has started a major international trial of the vaccine involving more than 25,000 people, and hopes it could be on the market within two years. It is in phase III of clinical trials with its vaccine, Gardasil. Gardasil is made from a non-infectious virus-like particle which protects against four strains of human papillomavirus. It is designed to target the HPV types most commonly associated with cervical cancer (HPV-16 and HPV-18), and the types that cause genital warts and many abnormal Pap smears in order to reduce HPV infection as much as possible. So for the vaccine has been found to be 100% effective at preventing the appearance of pre-cancerous cells.
GlaxoSmithKline (Cervari) is also in the run to create a version of the vaccine
------------------------------------------------------
LATEST UPDATES: http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=32992
• ABCNews' "World News Tonight": The segment includes comments from Carol Brown of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; Christopher Crum of Brigham and Women's Hospital; and Diane Harper of Dartmouth Medical School (McKenzie, "World News Tonight," ABCNews, 10/6).
• CBS' "Evening News": The segment includes comments from Barr,
Jacob Lalezari, assistant clinical professor of medicine at University of California-San
Francisco Mount Zion Hospital, and a woman who participated in the study (Kaledin,
"Evening News," CBS, 10/6). The complete segment is available online
in RealPlayer.
• NBC's "Nightly News": NBC's Robert Bazell discusses the study
(Bazell, "Nightly News," NBC, 10/6). The complete segment is available
online in Windows Media.
***If you want to see that clips go to the above website or just click here.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONTROVERSY: Conservative Religious groups advocate
against required vaccination for HPV because it targets young adolescents and
would encourage pre-marital sex?
http://www.ethicsdaily.com/article_detail.cfm?AID=6587
CDC brochure: http://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/common-infection/HPVBrochureCleared-Online.pdf
___________________________________
Things to consider:
- Who should receive the vaccine?
- What is the role of public health officials and policy makers in requiring immunization? What are the biggest obstacles they will face?
- Will the availability of the HPV vaccine significantly change the sexual behavior of individuals? What will be the consequences?
- What additional obstacles will the vaccine face if it is only effective for 2-5 years verses providing life-time immunity?
- When will the HPV vaccine be available?
- What will be the biggest benefit of the vaccine?
- What will be the effectiveness, safety, and quality of the vaccine?