FDA Approves Cervarix A New HPV Vaccine
Oct 17th, 2009 | By Kimberly Fox | Category: Women's Health
Since it was found that certain strains of HPV can cause cervical cancer, a dangerous and quite common form of cancer in women, local health departments and health professionals have embarked in an ongoing mission to protect women from the diseases.
The FDA has recently approved a new vaccine manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline called Cervarix™ to accomplish just that. The vaccine, similar to it’s predecessor and competitor Gardasil™ manufactured by MERCK, is effective against 70% of pre-cancerous lesions caused by the human papillomavirus.
HPV, with over a hundred strains, has been known to infected up to 80% of women by the end of their lives. The vaccine protects women against two of the most prevalent cancer causing types (16 & 18). Many strains of the virus show no signs or symptoms in both men and women yet can be extremely dangerous which is why vaccines such as Cervarix™ and Gardasil™ are shing lights in yet otherwise dark clouds.
“It has the potential to save lives from cervical cancer as well as reduce the need for biopsies and invasive procedures associated with the necessary follow-up from abnormal Pap tests.” said Dr. Karen Midthun, acting director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.
The vaccine is approved for girls and women between the ages of 10 and 25. It comes in three injections over the span of months and with annual paps can drastically reduce your chance of developing cancerous cells.
Cervarix Side Effects
- Pain, redness or swelling at the injection site.
- Headache.
- Muscle pain (myalgia).
- Fatigue.
- Disturbances of the gut, such as nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain.
- Skin reactions such as rash, itching or hives.
- Fever.
- Joint pain (arthralgia).
- Dizziness.
- Infection of the nose, throat or windpipe.
- Hard lump or tingling sensation at the injection site.
While there is controversy about the moral obligations of the vaccine it is suggested that all women get this life saving series of shots. It shouldn’t be used to replace proper sex education or the use of protection and only prevents cancerous types of HPV no other STDs or even the strains of the virus that cause genital warts.
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