SUNDAY August 24, 2008 (foodconsumer.org) -- The only two cervical
cancer vaccines available in the market may not be worth their high cost and both may not be so
effective at preventing the disease in the first place, two studies published
in this week's New England Journal Medicine suggest.
The vaccines of concern
Gardasil made by Merck and
Cervarix made by GlaxoSmithKline are designed to prevent cervical lesions
induced by two strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV) from becoming cervical
cancer. Gardasil was approved for marketing in the U.S. two years ago and
Cervarix was approved in Europe years back.
Human papillomavirus, a sexually transmitted disease, is believed to be the major cause
for cervical cancer, which is rare in the United States although the virus is
commonly found in men and women. In 2008, an estimated 11,070 women are
expected to be diagnosed with cervical cancer and 3,870 will die from the
disease, according to cancer.gov. Most people can clear the virus naturally in
two years without resorting to any medication though.
"Despite great expectations and promising results of
clinical trials, we still lack sufficient evidence of an effective vaccine
against cervical cancer," Dr. Charlotte J. Haug, editor of The Journal of
the Norwegian Medical Association, was quoted by The New York Times as writing
wrote in an editorial accompanying the study reports.
"With
so many essential questions still unanswered, there is good reason to be
cautious," Dr. Haug added.
Clinical trials often lasting no more than six and half a
year yielded no evidence that the vaccines render long-term immunity to the
targeted strains and that they would not decrease the body's natural immunity
against other strains that can also induce cervical cancer.
Another study led by Jane J. Kim and Dr. Sue Goldie of
Harvard University showed that girls inoculated with the vaccines at age 12
would cost $43,600 for every life saved by the vaccines during a life time,
which is acceptable to health officials, the New York Times reported.
But if all girls and women up to age 21 are to be given
the vaccines, the cost will be $120,400.
If a booster is required, the cost will rise to $120,400. In these
cases, Pap smear screening will be more cost-effective.
The vaccines do not cover all strains that induce
cervical cancer.
Girls and women who
have received the shots, which can cost anywhere between $400 and $1000 per
person according to the Times , still need to follow the routine pap smear
screening, meaning that the vaccines do not save any money.
