HPV vaccine shortly going primetime

As everyone and their mother has already observed, Merick's new HPV vaccine has gotten FDA approval and should be hitting the shelves (or at least the doctor's office) this summer. The approval is only for women age 9-26, because they haven't tested it enough in men to get approval there (but it's in the works, which is good because HPV is linked with various forms of cancer in men as well as causing genital warts and being spreadale to women) and older women did not respond as well (meaning they were less likely to have antibodies and therefore immunity after getting the vaccine). However, GSK has a similar vaccine that shows effectiveness in women up to age 55 and is currently finishing up Phase 3 trials, so it should be approved in the near future as well.

Now we just need a herpes vaccine and we can start trusting condoms again[1]. OK, a cure would work better since so many folks already get cold sores, but you get the picture.

[1] Yes, they greatly reduce transmission of herpes and HPV, but not to the degree that they do for other STDs.

HPV vaccine shortly going primetime

As everyone and their mother has already observed, Merick's new HPV vaccine has gotten FDA approval and should be hitting the shelves (or at least the doctor's office) this summer. The approval is only for women age 9-26, because they haven't tested it enough in men to get approval there (but it's in the works, which is good because HPV is linked with various forms of cancer in men as well as causing genital warts and being spreadale to women) and older women did not respond as well (meaning they were less likely to have antibodies and therefore immunity after getting the vaccine). However, GSK has a similar vaccine that shows effectiveness in women up to age 55 and is currently finishing up Phase 3 trials, so it should be approved in the near future as well.

Now we just need a herpes vaccine and we can start trusting condoms again[1]. OK, a cure would work better since so many folks already get cold sores, but you get the picture.

[1] Yes, they greatly reduce transmission of herpes and HPV, but not to the degree that they do for other STDs.