HPV-Combatant Second Vaccine Gets FDA Approval

The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) lately approved the use of Cervarix, the second vaccine intended for averting infections occurring due to HPV or human papilloma virus, a grave risk factor that could lead to cervical cancer.

The Cervarix vaccine (Manufacturer – GlaxoSmithKline) is aimed at combating high risk HPV strains 16 and 18 that are the offenders for nearly seventy percent of all occurring cervical cancers, and has got the green-light from the FDA to be used in girls and women in the age group of 10-25 years.

HPV is a set of more than hundred related virus forms that could be transmitted via skin contact – inclusive of intercourse –vaginal or anal and could even be transmitted at the time of oral sexual contact. HPV leads to the appearance of genital warts, although several infected individuals could be asymptomatic. Several women contract HPV; however, in majority of the cases, it subsides without being treated. But, among few women it could linger and probably lead to cervical cancer.

In the present year, more than eleven thousand women in the United States could be detected having cervical cancer and nearly four thousand women would face fatality due to the disease. Nearly all the cases (more than ninety-nine percent) of the cervical cancers are linked to HPV. For lowering the chances of contracting HPV infection, doctors suggest women in the young age bracket to delay sex, follow safe sex practices (condom does not offer total safeguard from the infection) and according to the age group must get inoculated.

Gardasil (Manufacturer – Merck) has been joined by Cervarix as the new-fangled HPV vaccine having the FDA nod.

During a study conducted on more than eighteen thousand girls and women in the age of 15-25 years, Cervarix was observed to have an efficacy rate of 93% in averting pre-malignant lesions occurring due to the HPV strains 16 and 18, among those that were administered all three doses of the vaccine at the commencement of the study.

However, Cervarix was ineffective among those that previously had been infected with the HPV strains. The prevalent side effects involve pain, discomfort, reddishness and swell up noted at the jab spot; weariness; headaches; aching muscles and joints; and GI (Gastro-Intestinal distress). The vaccine is administered in a sequence of three jabs spanning over a six-monthly time period.

The certification of Cervarix makes it yet another choice in deterring cervical cancer. It is a potentially life-saving vaccine against cervical cancer and helps in reducing the necessity of going in for biopsies and invasive methods related to the obligatory follow-up arising from irregular Pap Tests.

Gardasil – the other vaccine having the FDA approval, safeguards against HPV-strains 16, 18, 6 and 11 that cause genital warts. Similar to Cervarix, it is administered three times over a span of six months. It was lately approved for use among boys and men in the age bracket of 9 to 26 years to assist in averting genital warts.

Till now these two vaccines have not been compared against each other. The Gardasil vaccine series is available at nearly 360 dollars excluding the doctor’s fee or the cost incurred for administering the injections). GlaxoSmithKline has still not revealed the cost of Cervarix.

The American Cancer Society is reassessing the information on Cervarix. ACS presently suggests that Gardasil be customarily be administered to females in the age group 11-12 and earlier as 9 years at the prudence of the doctors, and concurs that ‘catch-up’ inoculations must be offered to girls between 13-18 years. Women lying between 19-26 years need to discuss with their health care provider regarding the risk of earlier exposure to HPV and probable advantages gained from the inoculation prior to opting for any vaccination.

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