What is Cervical Cancer?
What is the Gardasil vaccine?
Who should get the Gardasil vaccine?
 What is Cervical Cancer?
Cervical Cancer is caused by human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and the vaccine protects against
two types of HPV which are present in 70 per cent of cervical cancers. The study was
conducted in 12,167 women within the age group of 16 to 23 from 13 countries. Half the
study recruits were given Gardasil and the other half were given placebo (dummy
injection with no vaccine) and the recruits were followed for 2 years, the follow up
showed that the vaccinated women did not develop any cancer or pre cancer. None of
the women had HPV when they were enrolled.
What is the Gardasil vaccine?
On June 8, 2006 the FDA approved the first-ever vaccine against cancer: Gardasil. In clinical
trials Gardasil, manufactured by Merck, has been 100% effective in preventing infection with
Human Papilloma virus (HPV) strains 16 and 18, which together cause 70% of cervical cancer cases. The vaccine is also
99% effective in preventing HPV strains 6 and 11, which together with strains 16 and 18 cause
about 90% of genital wart cases.
Gardasil also protects against vaginal and vulvar cancers, two other gynecological cancers
that also are linked to HPV, according to another study. The vaccine is given in three doses
over 6 months which has shown 100% successful.
Who should get the Gardasil vaccine?
As Gardasil is most effective in women who have never been exposed to HPV, it should be given
to young girls before they are sexually active. The vaccine is approved for girls and women ages 9-26
and the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) will determine to whom and
when it should be administered. The ACIP's vaccine group is recommending girls 11 - 12 should be
given the vaccine and there's some discussion about giving it to young boys, as well. While men
can't get cervical cancer, HPV would be much less likely to spread if both sexes were vaccinated.
However, it is being studied in men and boys to prevent the carrier state.
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