Important developments in the past two weeks:
The New HPV Vaccine Could Be 90% Effective
TIME Magazine, October 1, 2014
An even more effective vaccine against human papillomavirus (HPV), which can cause cervical cancer, may be on the horizon, according to new research published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. Merck announced that it's investigating a 9-valent HPV vaccine that protects against nine total types of HPV-five more than the current one on the market.
Current Perspectives on HPV Vaccination
Medscape Multispecialty, September 30, 2014
Thirty years ago, human papillomavirus types 16 and 18 were isolated from cervical carcinomas, and it has been almost 10 years since the introduction of the first prophylactic virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine. The VLP vaccines have already impacted the reduction of pre-malignant lesions and genital warts, and it is expected that vaccination efforts will successfully lower the incidence of cervical cancer before the end of the decade. Here we summarize the historical developments leading to the prophylactic HPV vaccines and discuss current advances of next-generation vaccines that aim to overcome certain limitations of the VLP vaccines, including their intrinsic narrow range of protection, stability and production/distribution costs.
HPV vaccine rates not linked to knowledge about it
Medical News Today, September 25, 2014
Knowledge about HPV and the benefits of vaccination does not appear to spur parents - or the kids who need it - to take it up. The new study that came to this conclusion,appearing in a recent issue of the journal Pediatrics, found neither more nor less knowledge about the Human Papillomavirus and the vaccine seems to affect the take-up rate, leading researchers to question the value of public knowledge and education campaigns.
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