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Bioethics & Science | Los Angeles Times Examines Efficacy of Gardasil as Cervical Cancer Preventive for Different Age Groups - Kaisernetwork.org Daily Reports Daily Health Policy Report Daily HIV/AIDS Report Daily Women's Health Policy Report First Edition Email Alert Sign-Up Search All Daily Reports Archives  Site Search       Email this story to a friend. Print this story. View entire report. Daily Women's Health Policy Bioethics & Science | Los Angeles Times Examines Efficacy of Gardasil as Cervical Cancer Preventive for Different Age Groups [Jun 19, 2006]      The Los Angeles Times on Monday examined the effectiveness of Merck's human papillomavirus vaccine Gardasil in preventing cervical cancer for women in different age groups (Roan, Los Angeles Times, 6/19). FDA earlier this month approved Gardasil -- which is given in three injections over six months and will cost $360 -- for sale and marketing to girls and women ages nine to 26. According to Merck, Gardasil in clinical trials has been shown to be 100% effective in preventing infection in women who do not already have HPV with HPV strains 16 and 18, which together cause about 70% of cervical cancer cases, and about 99% effective in preventing HPV strains 6 and 11, which together with strains 16 and 18 cause about 90% of genital wart cases. CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which drafts recommendations and schedules the administration of vaccines in the U.S., on June 29 is scheduled to review who should receive Gardasil. ACIP's HPV vaccine group has recommended giving the vaccine to girls ages 11 and 12. The 15-member ACIP also will consider recommending Gardasil for girls and women ages 13 to 26 (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 6/9). According to the Times, some public health officials are recommending Gardasil be given to girls at a young age because half of all U.S. teens have sex before age 18 and 6% before age 13. However, "it is less clear how the vaccine may be helpful" to women in their early 20s who might already have contracted HPV, the Times reports. HPV tests do not specify which strains of the virus a person has contracted, so women who test positive will not know if they have contracted the strains against which Gardasil protects, the Times reports. The effectiveness of administering Gardasil to women over age 26 also is unclear, but Merck said it is studying the efficacy of the vaccine in women up to age 45. Mark Wakabayashi -- director of the gynecologic department at City of Hope, a biomedical research center in California -- said it is important that all women and girls follow recommendations for receiving Pap tests to detect cervical cancer even if they receive Gardasil (Los Angeles Times, 6/19). Related Editorial The "greatest potential benefit" of Gardasil "will come only if parents, doctors, policymakers, public health professionals and school officials work together to ensure that all pre-teen girls get the full vaccine regimen of three shots," a Boston Globe editorial says. Effective distribution of the vaccine will depend on how the "obstacle[s]" of Gardasil's cost, the "fragmented system of public and private" insurance payments and the three-shot requirement are overcome, according to the editorial. To overcome the obstacles, funds should be appropriated "to make sure no child or young adult ... is deprived of the vaccine because of its cost," measures should be taken to ensure that Gardasil does not "fall victim to this weak spot in the health care system" and vaccine providers "will have to notify young people when they are due for their second and third shots," the Globe says. Although Gardasil "will not protect against all HPV types or all cervical cancer," the "life-saving benefit the vaccine could provide justifies all the efforts that will have to go into making sure it is affordable and easily accessible to young women," the editorial concludes (Boston Globe, 6/18). ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ..... About Us     Privacy Policy      Help      Site Map     Kaisernetwork.org is a free service of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.