Merck

AAP Now Recommends HPV Vaccine for Boys and Girls

Source: HemOnc Today The American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases issued an updated policy statement on human papillomavirus vaccination that recommends both boys and girls be immunized. The policy statement notes vaccination reduces the incidence of sexually transmitted infections and reduces cancer risk. “Persistent infection with high-risk HPV types is responsible for most cervical and anal cancers in females,” the statement reads. “In males, high-risk HPV types are responsible for a large proportion of cancers of the mouth and pharynx, which are increasing in recent years, and of anal and penile cancers.” There currently is one approved HPV vaccine (HPV4; Gardasil, Merck) for boys and two vaccines — HPV4 and HPV2 (Cervarix, GlaxoSmithKline) — approved for girls. The committee recommended that: Girls aged 11 to 12 years should receive three doses of HPV2 or HPV4 — administered intramuscularly at 0, 1 to 2, and 6 months — even if they already are sexually active. Boys aged 11 to 12 years should receive three doses of HPV4 using the same schedule. Females aged 13 to 26 years and males aged 13 to 21 years who were not previously immunized or who are missing a vaccination should complete the full series. Men aged 22 to 26 years who were not immunized previously or who are missing a vaccination may receive the HPV4 series, but “cost-efficacy models do not justify a stronger recommendation in this age group.” The policy statement recommended that women who receive the vaccine continue to undergo cervical [...]

Charlotte Parker2012-03-21T10:35:17-07:00March, 2012|Oral Cancer News|

Prevalence of Oral HPV Infection Higher Among Men Than Women

CHICAGO -- The overall prevalence of oral human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is approximately 7 percent among men and women ages 14 to 69 years in the United States, while the prevalence among men is higher than among women, according to a study appearing in JAMA. The study is being released early online to coincide with its presentation at the Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancer Symposium. Oral HPV infection is the cause of a subset of oropharyngeal [relating to the mouth and pharynx] squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC). Human papillomavirus positive OSCC are associated with sexual behavior in contrast to HPV-negative OSCC that are associated with chronic tobacco and alcohol use. At least 90 percent of HPV-positive OSCC are caused by high-risk (or oncogenic) HPV type 16 (HPV-16), and oral infection confers an approximate 50-fold increase in risk for HPV-positive OSCC. The incidence of OSCC has significantly increased over the last 3 decades in several countries, and HPV has been directly implicated as the underlying cause, according to background information in the article. Although oral HPV infection is the cause of a cancer that is increasing in incidence in the United States, little is known regarding the epidemiology of infection. Maura L. Gillison, M.D., Ph.D., of the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, and colleagues examined the prevalence of oral HPV infection in the United States. The researchers used data from a cross-sectional study as part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2009-2010, a statistically representative sample of the U.S. population. Men and women ages 14 [...]

Charlotte Parker2012-01-26T17:50:44-07:00January, 2012|Oral Cancer News|

HPV Vaccine Recommended for Boys aged 11 to 12 Years

Source: HemOncToday.com The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices today approved routine recommendation in favor of administering the quadrivalent HPV vaccine for boys aged 11 to 12 years. Committee members decided that the vaccine (Gardasil, Merck) was safe, efficacious and cost-effective enough to warrant routine usage in this population. The recommendation issued in 2009 was permissive, meaning providers could give the vaccine to boys, but it was not routinely administered. This change would put the HPV vaccine into the regular vaccination schedule. The three-vaccination series can start as early as age 9 years. "The committee recommended that routine vaccination of males aged 11 or 12 years with three doses of quadrivalent vaccine be given to prevent HPV infection and HPV-related disease," Anne Schuchat, MD, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said in a phone call with reporters. "Boys and young men 13 to 21 years of age who have not already received the vaccine should be vaccinated." Anne Schuchat, MD Insurance companies typically cover HPV vaccine in boys, but that is not necessarily the case for a permissive recommendation, according to Schuchat, who said a routine recommendation for a vaccine usually translates into coverage without co-pays. The committee voted 8-5 with one abstention in favor of recommending vaccination for young men up to age 21 years with permissive recommendation for men aged 22 to 26 years. The committee considered recommending vaccination up to age 26 years, which would have harmonized recommendations for men and women, [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2011-10-26T10:31:59-07:00October, 2011|Oral Cancer News|

FDA panel backs new use for Gardasil vaccine

Source: TherapeuticsDaily.com WASHINGTON -- A federal health panel says evidence supports expanding use of Merck's Gardasil vaccine to prevent anal cancer in young men and women. The panel of Food and Drug Administration advisers said a 4,000-patient study conducted by Merck & Co. Inc. shows the vaccine lowers the risk of anal cancer in men. They said these results can also be applied to women. Anal cancer is relatively rare, affecting about 5,000 people in the U.S. each year. Gardasil, Merck's top-selling vaccine, already is approved for prevention of cervical cancer and genital warts in girls and women aged 9 to 26. It's also approved for preventing genital warts in boys and men aged 9 to 26. The vaccine works by blocking four of the most common strains of human papilloma virus, or HPV.

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-11-18T10:12:07-07:00November, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

The Most Deadly HPVs in the World

Source: WebMD News Author: Daniel DeNoon Cervical Cancer-Causing Viruses ID'd in Worldwide Study Oct. 19, 2010 – Two human papillomavirus types included in HPV vaccines cause 71% of cervical cancers -- but there are six other cervical cancer-causing HPVs, an international study finds. Led by Spanish researcher Silvia de Sanjose, MD, the effort analyzed 22,661 tissue samples from 14,249 women from 38 countries in six continents. Researchers looked for any of the 118 known types of HPV. The samples included 10,575 cases of invasive cervical cancer -- for women, the second most common cancer in the world. HPV is believed to cause nearly all cervical cancers. Although the study detected HPV in only 85% of cervical cancers, de Sanjose and colleagues suggest that various problems (such as DNA degradation in samples) led researchers to miss HPV in the remaining 15% of cases. There are currently two HPV vaccines: Cervarix from GlaxoSmithKline and Gardasil from Merck. Both protect against HPV types 16 and 18; Gardasil also protects against the genital wart-causing HPV strains 6 and 11. The new study strongly supports use of these vaccines, as HPV 16 and HPV 18 account for 71% of invasive cervical cancers. HPV 16, HPV 18, and HPV 45 are found in 94% of cervical adenocarcinomas. HPV types 18 and 45 are found in much younger women with invasive cervical cancer, suggesting that these viruses are particularly deadly. HPV 16 is also linked to cancer in younger women. In addition to HPV 16, 18, and [...]

Charlotte Parker2010-10-26T12:24:24-07:00October, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Dispatch: get vaccinated!

Source: American Council on Science and Health Author: Staff According to U.S. researchers, there are an estimated 11,300 throat cancer cases attributable to human papilloma virus (HPV) annually, although the government does not formally track the incidence rate since the connection between HPV and throat cancer was only made in the past few years. The rate is expected to rise since people have more sexual partners now than in decades past. “Unfortunately, many people are unaware of the connection between HPV and throat cancer since it is so underreported. I’m especially concerned for kids who engage in oral sexual activities under the mistaken belief that this is ‘safe sex,’ and it’s not,” warns ACSH's Dr. Elizabeth Whelan. Though also alarmed by the increasing rate of throat cancer caused by infection with HPV, ACSH's Dr. Gilbert Ross was more perturbed to learn that drug makers are resistant to study the use of HPV vaccines — now used to prevent cervical cancer in women and anal warts in males — for the prevention of oral cancer. “I was disconcerted to read that the two manufacturers of the HPV vaccine, Merck and GlaxoSmithKline, are not interested in pursuing this topic of prevention,” laments Dr. Ross. “Since there is no easy way to detect pre-cancers in the oral cavity, a clinical trial could take 10 to 20 years to complete. However, it is obvious that eliminating the virus through the use of vaccination would stop our current epidemic.”

Charlotte Parker2010-07-25T20:14:29-07:00July, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

The cancer-causing sex virus

Source: Forbes Author: Matthew Herper Martin Duffy, a Boston consultant and economist, thought he just had a sore throat. When it persisted for months, he went to the doctor and learned there was a tumor on his tonsils. Duffy, now 70, had none of the traditional risk factors for throat cancer. He doesn't smoke, doesn't drink and has run 40 Boston marathons. Instead, his cancer was caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV), which is sexually transmitted and a common cause of throat and mouth cancer. HPV tumors have a better prognosis than those caused by too many years of booze and cigarettes. But Duffy "is in the unlucky 20%" whose cancer comes back--despite rounds of chemotherapy and radiation that melted 20 more pounds off a lean 150-pound frame. Now the cancer has spread throughout his throat, making eating and talking difficult. "I made my living as a public speaker," he says. "Now I sound like Daffy Duck." Duffy believes he has only a few months left. "How do you tell the people you love you love them?" he asks. Nine Things You Need To Know About HPV Most strains of the HPV virus are harmless, but persistent infections with two HPV strains cause 70% of the 12,000 cases of cervical cancers diagnosed annually in the U.S. Other forms of the sexually transmitted virus can cause penile and anal cancer, and genital warts. The HPV throat cancer connection has emerged in just the last few years and is so new that [...]

Charlotte Parker2010-07-25T20:13:00-07:00July, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

FDA’s risk aversion is endangering children

Source: Forbes.com Author: Henry Miller The agency has sown confusion by asking physicians to stop administering a vaccine that even they admit is safe. By applying its now-customary excessive precaution, the FDA has painted itself into a most interesting corner. The result will likely be confusion among pediatricians and the public and parents reluctant to permit their children to get an important vaccination. And that in turn will cause unnecessary cases of rotavirus infection, debilitating diarrhea and, in a few children, death. The FDA last March asked pediatricians to stop administering GlaxoSmithKline's ( GSK - news - people ) Rotarix, a vaccine that prevents rotavirus infection, a diarrheal illness that commonly affects infants and children and that can cause severe dehydration. Their rationale was self-contradictory and unpersuasive. On one hand, the FDA seemed still to be confident about the vaccine, explaining that, "Extensive studies, including placebo-controlled, randomized clinical studies involving tens of thousands of vaccine recipients, support the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine." And the positive experience of countless infants and children vaccinated since the licensing of the vaccine two years ago further confirms its safety. So why do regulators want a "pause" in administration? Because using a new ultra-sensitive assay, small amounts of DNA from a pig virus were detected in the vaccine preparation. That might sound like a good reason for concern--except that the FDA itself confirms "that the material has been present since the early stages of product development, including during clinical studies." In other words, all of the studies that confirmed the [...]

Charlotte Parker2010-05-13T07:58:04-07:00May, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Two doctors explain their support of the Gardasil vaccine

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com Author: Marcia G. Yerman As parents contemplate whether or not they should have the Gardasil vaccine administered to their daughters, one of the first places that they turn is to their doctors. In this segment, I posed questions to two doctors supporting the vaccine. Dr. Margaret Lewin, M.D., F.A.C.P., is the Medical Director of Cinergy Health, an insurance benefits provider. She advises the board on patient related issues and public health concerns. Lewin is board-certified in Internal Medicine, Hematology, and Medical Oncology. Lewin is affiliated with New York Presbyterian Hospital and the Hospital for Special Surgery. Dr. Alan Gibstein, M.D., F.A.C.S., F.A.C.O.G., is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at NYU School of Medicine. He is board-certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology, and is affiliated with North Shore University Hospital. He was president of the LIJMC medical staff from 1982-9183. In addition to his work as an attending gynecologist, he has been actively involved in medical and residency teaching. On why they supported the vaccine: Dr. Lewin wrote: "The evidence clearly shows that the quadrivalent HPV vaccine prevents cervical intraepithelial neoplasia caused by 70% of known HPV subtypes as well as preventing genital warts - both of which are highly contagious (even without sexual penetration), cause significant distress, substantial cost, and cannot reliably be permanently eliminated. There are published reports of oral cancer caused by the HPV virus. Oral cancers and their treatment are devastating, and the ability to avoid HPV-related oral cancers strongly increases my support [...]

Oral Cancer Foundation News Team - A2010-01-09T12:13:34-07:00January, 2010|Oral Cancer News|

Males can get HPV vaccine Gardasil thanks, in part, to Gulfport cancer survivor

Source: St. Petersburg Times Author: John Barry David Hastings' crusade to inoculate boys against a cancer-causing virus that afflicts women — but threatened him, too — has scored a victory. But it's not quite the one he has been fighting for in the past three years. A panel of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week allowed a vaccine to be given to boys and young men that is already used to protect girls and young women from human papillomavirus, HPV, which causes cervical cancer. The panel's vote followed the Food and Drug Administration's recent okay of the vaccine for boys as a protection against genital warts. The vaccine, Gardasil, was approved only for females, ages 9 to 26, in 2006. But research has since linked HPV to many oral cancers in men. Hastings, who owns the Habana Cafe in Gulfport with his wife, Josefa, testified before the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. He told them how HPV was found in a deadly carcinoma in his throat in 2006. It took seven weeks of simultaneous chemotherapy and radiation at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa to arrest the cancer. Ever since, he has spread the message that HPV is a threat to men. He urged the CDC panel to recommend routine vaccinations for boys, as it already does for girls. Hastings and other proponents argued that only 17 percent of girls are completing the series of three doses needed for protection. "We rely on females [...]

Charlotte Parker2009-10-30T10:58:18-07:00October, 2009|Oral Cancer News|