undeRliRcs Posted October 6, 2005 Share Posted October 6, 2005 Study: Vaccine blocks cervical cancer '100 percent efficacy' against cancer-causing virus, maker says Thursday, October 6, 2005; Posted: 8:04 a.m. EDT (12:04 GMT) TRENTON, New Jersey (AP) -- The first major study of an experimental vaccine to prevent cervical cancer found it was 100 percent effective, in the short term, at blocking the disease and lesions likely to turn cancerous, drug maker Merck & Co. said. Gardasil, a genetically engineered vaccine, blocks infection with two of the 100-plus types of human papilloma virus, HPV 16 and 18. The two sexually transmitted viruses together cause about 70 percent of cervical cancers. Other types of HPV also can cause cervical cancer and painful genital warts. About 20 million Americans have some form of HPV. The final-stage study of Gardasil included 10,559 sexually active women ages 16 to 26 in the United States and 12 other countries who were not infected with HPV 16 or 18. Half got three vaccine doses over six months; half got dummy shots. Among those still virus-free after the six months, none who received the vaccine developed cervical cancer or precancerous lesions over an average two years of follow-up, compared with 21 who got dummy shots. "To have 100 percent efficacy is something that you have very rarely," Dr. Eliav Barr, Merck's head of clinical development for Gardasil, told The Associated Press. "We're breaking out the champagne." The study, which was funded by Merck, was to be presented Friday at a meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. A second analysis, including hundreds more women participating in the ongoing study, showed that after just one dose the vaccine was 97 percent effective. That analysis found only one of the 5,736 women who got the vaccine developed cervical cancer or precancerous lesions, compared with 36 among the 5,766 who got dummy shots. Barr said the 97 percent rate was more "real world," given that patients sometimes miss or delay follow-up shots or tests. "I see this as a phenomenal breakthrough," said Dr. Gloria Bachmann, director of The Women's Health Institute at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick. Full story here: http://www.cnn.com/2005/HEALTH/conditions/...e.ap/index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurë Veteran Posted October 7, 2005 Veteran Share Posted October 7, 2005 I notice a lack of replies to this thread...... Six months doesn't seem a very long time for this sort of study, but I am no expert. But good news, hope that if it develops into something that is useful and helps prevent cervical cancer, the NHS don't refuse to administer it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiagosilva29 Posted October 8, 2005 Share Posted October 8, 2005 This is awesome! Kudos for the research team! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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