The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of two vaccines, Gardasil® and Cervarix® to help prevent cervical cancer in girls and young women. The vaccine was very effective in trials. The FDA approval comes after 15 years of research.
Who Will It Help?
Both Gardasil® and Cervarix® are targeted to treat girls and women in the 9-26 age group. Cervical cancer is the second- most common malignant disease in women throughout the world, causing the death of an estimated 230,000 to 290,000 women each year. The vaccines are effective against human papillomavirus (HPV) – types 16 and 18, which cause approximately 70 percent of cervical cancers. Only Gardasil® is effective against HPV types 6 and 11, which cause approximately 90 percent of genital warts.
In the United States, approximately 9,700 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, and 3,700 die from it. Regular PAP smears in the United States and other developing countries have helped reduce the number of deaths through early diagnosis and treatment.
Cervical Cancer
The main cause of cervical cancer is infection with HPV and is spread by sexual contact. It can take years for cancer to develop after a woman has become infected. The vaccines are only effective when used before a girl or woman has been infected with HPV.
Procedure, Cost, and Side Effects
The vaccination requires three shots over six months to be most effective. In Gardasil® trials involving more than 12,000 women, the vaccine was 100 percent effective against the four most common HPVs. Researchers recommend that women continue to have PAP smear tests even after vaccination.
Cost may be a factor for many women. The full three-shot series costs more than $380. This cost might be covered or partly covered by some health insurance programs.
Be aware that side effects can occur from these vaccines (and from all vaccines). Most of the side effects associated with these vaccines, such as fever and pain at the injection site, are mild. However, a small percentage of adverse reactions to the vaccine have been serious. Talk with your doctor – or your daughter's doctor – to weigh all the pros and cons.
For Boys Too
The FDA has also approved the use of Gardasil® for boys and men, ages 9 through 26, to protect against genital warts and to stop viral strains that cause most cervical cancers. |
