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Vaccines Against Cervical Cancer Soon But Will It Be Enough?
October 7, 2005
Merck and GlaxoSmithKline have been conducting trials of vaccines that protect against the human papilloma virus.
Two forms of human papillomavirus, types 16 and 18, are responsible for an estimated 70 percent of cervical cancer cases. Such cancers kill about 300,000 women worldwide each year, including almost 4,000 in the United States.
GlaxoSmithKline’s vaccine could reach the market in 2006 while Merck plans later this year to seek U.S. approval for the cancer vaccine, which also protects against another two types of the virus that cause genital warts. Merck is partnering its vaccine in Europe with Sanofi-Aventis.
Merck said on Thursday that its vaccine candidate, Gardisal, was highly effective in preventing pre-cervical cancer lesions.
At the same time, J.P. Garnier, Chief Excecutive of GSK, said it would be a challenge for the two companies to produce enough vaccine for the whole world.
Frankly, Merck and GlaxoSmithKline together will just be enough to produce enough vaccine. … The most important part here is to be able to provide a wide spectrum of vaccination for the women from age 10, 12 to later in life. I think that’s going to overwhelm the competitive nature and the competitive makeup.
In the meantime, according to The Nation, some of the Christian Right are opposing widespread use of HPV vaccines.
“Giving the HPV vaccine to young women could be potentially harmful,” Bridget Maher of the Family Research Council told the British magazine New Scientist, “because they may see it as a license to engage in premarital sex.”
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14 Responses to “Vaccines Against Cervical Cancer Soon But Will It Be Enough?”
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December 26th, 2005 at 8:18 am
I believe that Gardisal should become widely available to all women asap. I was born a Christian but i believe that the comment made by Bridget Maher just highlights the ignorance and decadence of the united christian churches. Would they prefer that over 300,000 women die each year in order to help opress young christian girls into waiting for marital sex? As i said, i was born crhistian and do believe in alot of my faith ( I am 17 btw) but to think that the Catholic church bears any weight on my decisions about my sexual life is laughable. I am still a virgin but that has nothing to do with the religious propiety instigated by my christian faith, its a personal decision. I personally would prefer to be administered with Gardisal as soon as possible to help ensure a greater level of my personal safety for when i do become sexually active, and i am in the process of trying to find an administer of the drug here in Sydney. The christian churches need to update with the times and realise that sacrificing hundreds of thousands of female lives every year to help put across an already flailing message is not only ignorant AND harmful, its endangering the lives of thos very girls they are ‘trying’ to ‘protect’ from eternal damnation.
February 18th, 2006 at 1:28 pm
I really hope that this gardasil vaccine comes out really soon.
May 18th, 2006 at 7:30 pm
I also believe that Gardisal should become available to all women. I am a Christian and I am appalled at the fact that people are so ignorant that they are actually discouraging this vaccine! I was 17 years old when I was diagnosed with cervical cancer that was caused by the HPV virus (I am now 19 years old) and now that I have this vaccine to give me hope for my recovery, I am extremely disappointed that some people do not want this vaccine to come out. I would hate to see any other young girls go through the operations I endured. This vaccine gives women with cervical cancer hope. It repulses me when I hear that some people would would rather hold back this vaccine.
August 9th, 2006 at 1:27 pm
I became infected with HPV my junior year of high school. I believe Gardisal should be mandatory in vaccinations to all young woman. It’s easy to get HPV, and it’s hard to live with it for your whole life. I am going in for the shot because though I may not be able to vaccinate myself against the virus, I’m protecting myself from the other strains as well as preventing a reoccurance in the future.
December 22nd, 2006 at 11:08 pm
Bridget sounds ignorant and so wrong that it is appalling. If people aren’t scared of ONE MORE STD it doesn’t mean there will be a sudden sex explosion. There are plenty more STDs and STIs to go around! ALSO I doubt that fear is why God would rather people not have sex before marriage, I’m going to take a guess and say that he would rather someone not engage in premarital sex because they don’t believe in it. Not that anyone else’s sex life is other people’s business in the first place, including the Catholic church. PS I go to church twice a week and every morning during lent. Roman Catholic and Catholic school educated. Gardasil = good idea.
December 24th, 2006 at 2:36 am
I became infected with HPV this year and I was so scared but I hope that is works because I read that it doesn’t help everyone and my doctor says that HPV can clear up on its on and that there wasn’t anything that I could do for it but what if it doesn’t clear up…
January 1st, 2007 at 6:55 pm
I am the mother of a 18 yr old daughter. She was diagnosed with HPV last year and it’s been a nightmare. The emotional pain, recurring doctors visit, procedures and the unknown. My pain is just as bad. I want to take blame, did I do something wrong, what did I miss telling her about sexual activities, protection,(she used protection)….My head goes around and around with everything.
I will say this there will be “One Less”, I will have my 13 yr vaccinated against this monster……..
January 12th, 2007 at 8:51 am
I understand the tout for the miracle drug. I worry about later implications on giving, no requiring children(Virginia, Washington DC and Maryland are voting to require girls entering 6th grade) to recieve a vaccine prior to them entering puberty. Where is the research on women who have recieved the vaccine as a pubesent and have infirtility issues. I just want more research before my right as a parent is taken away by the “state”.
January 21st, 2007 at 8:29 am
At the age of 31 I have been diagnosed with HPV, and it has turned my life upside down. I made the mistake of having sex before marriage and now that I am a Christian I have the live with the consequences of being single for the rest of my life as I would not want to give this disease to anyone else. I was never well informed about STD’s and thought only AIDS is the only disease with no cure..Wish there was a way out of this path I chose for myself..
January 30th, 2007 at 6:09 pm
I contracted HPV at the age of 39. After living a monogamous life with one man, we divorced in when I was 34. After the divorce, I have had two sexual partners. One of these partners infected me. Thankfully my doctor indicates the strain I have contracted is not the strain that cause cervical cancer. I would like to be vaccinated for the type that causes cancer. I think ALL women should be vaccinated, not just teenagers and children.
February 5th, 2007 at 8:31 am
MY daugter was vaccinated on nov.1 2006 with the hpv vaccine at our peditrician’s office.She was only 13 at the time,28 days later my daughter developed hsp vasculitis.My concern is not the religous aspect but the health concerns I have for my daughter and the other young girls who basically were not made aware of the serios adverse reactions caused by the hpv vaccine.I strongly oppose the mandation of a vaccine that has not been studied enough before introducing it to my daughter and the million other girls not vaccinated as of yet.
February 17th, 2007 at 9:17 am
This sounds like a wonderful drug but where are the years of study? Are we being told everything? Look at Diane above. I don’t have an opposition to the drug. I have an opposition to being forced to have my child administered with it. I am not comfortable with the study just yet and don’t like the idea that my right as a parent to protect my child is taken away. Yes, this should be made available for all, but administered by their own choosing not because the government tells them they have too. I want to know more before I decide. If it’s wonderful now it will be wonderful later. What’s the rush to push for force? Does someone stands to make a lot of money…?
June 27th, 2007 at 2:06 pm
There is no rush however, how old is your daughter(s)? Do you have the spare time to take that chance of submitting her to cervical cancer? Of all the adverse effects shown what’s worse? And as far as this being permission to have sex earlier–be real. It’s out there. It’s our responsibility to teach our children right from wrong and good morals.
January 13th, 2008 at 9:57 pm
I agree with the ladies who are concerned with the adverse effects of the drugs in the future. There have not been enough long term studies. I have three daughters, I don’t like the idea of someone telling me I have to give them a shot that has not been researched long term yet. It is the drug companies pushing it for the money. That is my opinion. As always people want to benefit from these drugs so they push them on everyone. Look what they are doing in some states, allowing the schools to hand out birth control to young girls without telling parents. What drug are they going to force on our children next. I think it would be great to have a drug to prevent cervical cancer. I also contracted HPV, so I am not writing this lightly. I am going to educate my daughters and hope that they make the correct choices. When they are 18 then they can get the shot.