FDA Expands Gardasil’s Cancer-Preventing Uses

In 2006, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the vaccine, Gardasil, for girls and women between the ages of 9 and 26 as a means of preventing cervical cancer caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV).  In a September 12 announcement, the FDA has expanded the vaccine’s cancer-preventing protections to some forms of vulvar and vaginal cancers, too. Read more

Gardasil Administration Best to Focus on Young Women

During 2007, more than 11,000 women in the United States were diagnosed with cervical cancer. Another 3,600 women died from it. The recently introduced Gardasil vaccine is expected to reduce the incidence of cervical cancer but it is most effective when girls get vaccinated before becoming sexually active. Read more

Did Gardasil Cause Jenny’s Paralysis?

Jenny was a healthy, happy 13-year-old from Northern California until about 15 months ago when signs of muscle deterioration began appearing.  At that time, she’d also completed the third and final dose of Gardasil, the vaccine given to guard against contracting the human papillomavirus (HPV), linked to a large number of cervical cancer cases.  Cervical cancer is the second most deadly form of cancer in women.  Today, her mother describes Jenny as almost completely paralyzed. Read more

Merck Seeks GARDASIL Approval for Older Women

Merck & Co., Inc., has announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted and designated as priority a review of GARDASIL, a vaccine against types 6, 11, 16, and 18 of the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is strongly associated with cervical cancer and similar diseases. GARDASIL is currently approved for use in females between the ages of 9 and 26. Merck’s current request for review is to obtain approval for the vaccine in women aged 27 through 45. Read more

Women Given GARDASIL Have Fewer Abnormal Pap Smears

A new study shows that the HPV vaccine, GARDASIL, reduced abnormal Pap test results by 43 percent compared to women not given the vaccine. GARDASIL is FDA approved against the human papilloma virus (HPV) strains (6, 11, 16, 18) believed to cause 70 percent of cervical cancers and more than 90 percent of genital warts. Read more

HPV Vaccine for Boys?

According to new research, Human Papillomavirus (HPV) may be responsible for the development of oral cancer in men to a greater extent than previously thought. Statistics show that in the past four decades, incidence of oral cancer caused by HPV has risen to a point where it now equals the incidence of oral cancer caused by alcohol and tobacco, widely regarded as the primary factors contributing to the development of oral and esophageal cancer.

If this trend continues, HPV will surpass alcohol and tobacco as the primary cause of oral cancer in men. Study co-author, Dr. Maura Gillison of Johns Hopkins University, said “We need to start having a discussion about those cancers other than cervical cancer that may be affected in a positive way by the vaccine…”

Gardasil was approved for use in girls in 2007, as a vaccine against HPV, one of the causes of cervical cancer. It has been reported that Merck & Co is considering applying for an FDA approval to administer the vaccine to boys, as well.

Two Women Die Shortly After Receiving Gardasil

MedHeadlines - Two young women have died shortly after receiving Gardasil, a vaccine against human papillomavirus - one of the main causes of cervical cancer. The European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has reported that the two deaths occurred in Austria and Germany. Both women died shortly after receiving the vaccine. Not long ago, three other women from the United States died after they have received the vaccine. Read more