Tracy Ogden, spokeswoman for Merck and Co., weighed in with some specifics on Gardasil, the vaccine approved to prevent human papilloma virus.
Who should take Gardasil?
Gardasil works best when given before there is any contact with HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18 — the four HPV types for which Gardasil protects against to prevent cervical cancer. The [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] panel recommends that Gardasil be administered to 11- to 12-year-old girls and to girls 13 to 26 who have not previously been vaccinated, and that 9- and 10-year-old girls can be vaccinated at the discretion of their physicians.
How does it work?
Gardasil protects against cervical, vulvar and vaginal cancers, precancerous or dysplastic lesions, and genital warts caused by HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18. It is important to note that Gardasil provides protection against the HPV types that cause 70 percent of cervical cancer cases (HPV 16 and 18).
Will it be effective in older women?
An older woman may still benefit from Gardasil even after exposure to HPV since it’s unlikely that she has been exposed to all four types of the virus covered by Gardasil.
What about for use in boys?
Studies to evaluate the efficacy of Gardasil in males 16 to 26 years of age are ongoing. Men can unknowingly transmit HPV to their partners, putting them at risk for developing HPV-related disease — most notably, cervical cancer in women. … Merck is pursuing an indication in males aged 9 to 26 and plans to submit a regulatory application later this year.
What is your reaction to reports of adverse events such as blood clots, muscle weakness or death?
From the time of licensure, Merck has been carefully monitoring the safety of the vaccine. … These are unconfirmed reports that cannot determine if the vaccine caused such events. The results of these analyses to date do not reveal a safety concern and, in looking at those post-marketing adverse events, the CDC and [Food and Drug Administration] continue to state the “benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks.”
