Drug News
Studies: HPV vaccines may not be so effective
By Ben Wasserman
Aug 25, 2008 - 6:37:29 AM

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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.