A recently concluded study by Merck & Co. on its drug Gardasil,
Showed extraordinary promise at preventing some types of cervical cancer.
The drug which involves technology licensed from CSL Ltd. in Australia,
Was the center of a study on 12,000+ women aged 16 to 26 in 13 countries all around the world.
Gardasil is targeted at preventing 70 percent of all cervical cancers,
Which are mainly caused by Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) types 16 and 18.
The Rate of Prevention of CIN 2/3 and AIS* for the women who received all 3 doses of the drug, did not violate testing protocols and didn’t develop HPV 16 or 18 by month 7,
Was 100%.
-BOOM.
Even more astounding was Gardasil’s cervical-cancer prevention rate of 97%,
-Even for the 5,000+ women who received less than 3 doses, violated testing protocols, and/or developed HPV 16 or 18 before month 7!!!
Given the success of the Future II study,
Plans are in the works to get the drug FDA approved, inoculate women before the age of sexual activity,
And continue development of future versions of Gardasil for even more protection from the remaining types of cervical cancer not yet covered.
Photo Credits: “Freedom”, by Audrey Johnson
Links:
Merck CNN-Gardasil Yahoo-Gardasil
*Cervical-Intraepithelial-Neoplasia 2/3 & Adenocarcinoma-In-Situ
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