Cervical Cancer Vaccine Exceeds Expectations
Gardasil Gives Extra Degree of Protection Against Strains of HPV That Cause Cervical Cancer
The vaccine has been the center of hot debate since it came on the market, with proponents calling for routine vaccination of young women and critics charging that the vaccine promotes promiscuity and denies parents of their rights.
The CDC recommends the HPV vaccine for all 11- and 12-year-old girls, but it can be given as young as age 9. The vaccine is also recommended for girls and women aged 13 through 26 who have not been previously vaccinated or completed the vaccine series.
Texas is the first and only state to mandate the vaccine.
Brown says he thinks the new findings will propel more parents to get their teenaged girls vaccinated.
But even if you are vaccinated, it’s still imperative to get regular checkups and Pap tests to look for any signs of precancerous lesions or cancer, he stresses.
Scott M. Hammer, MD, chief of the division of infectious diseases at Columbia University in New York City and chairman of the committee that chose which studies to highlight at the meeting, says, “This is really important information for women.
"We knew this vaccine was safe and effective for HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18, but we didn't know if it worked beyond that.
“The new study offers strong support that Gardasil is about 35% to 40% effective in preventing infection with other types of human papillomavirus that cause cervical cancer,” he tells WebMD.
More than 11,000 new cases of invasive cervical cancer will be diagnosed in 2007, with more than 3,600 deaths, according to the American Cancer Society.
The study was sponsored by Gardasil maker Merck & Co. Inc.
HPV Vaccine Exceeds Expectations
Gardasil Gives Extra Degree of Protection Against Strains of HPV That Cause Cervical Cancer
The Cervical Cancer Debate
The vaccine has been the center of hot debate since it came on the market, with proponents calling for routine vaccination of young women and critics charging that the vaccine promotes promiscuity and denies parents of their rights.
The CDC recommends the HPV vaccine for all 11- and 12-year-old girls, but it can be given as young as age 9. The vaccine is also recommended for girls and women aged 13 through 26 who have not been previously vaccinated or completed the vaccine series.
Texas is the first and only state to mandate the vaccine.
Brown says he thinks the new findings will propel more parents to get their teenaged girls vaccinated.
But even if you are vaccinated, it’s still imperative to get regular checkups and Pap tests to look for any signs of precancerous lesions or cancer, he stresses.
‘Important Information for Women’
Scott M. Hammer, MD, chief of the division of infectious diseases at Columbia University in New York City and chairman of the committee that chose which studies to highlight at the meeting, says, “This is really important information for women.
"We knew this vaccine was safe and effective for HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18, but we didn't know if it worked beyond that.
“The new study offers strong support that Gardasil is about 35% to 40% effective in preventing infection with other types of human papillomavirus that cause cervical cancer,” he tells WebMD.
More than 11,000 new cases of invasive cervical cancer will be diagnosed in 2007, with more than 3,600 deaths, according to the American Cancer Society.
The study was sponsored by Gardasil maker Merck & Co. Inc.
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