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FDA Approves New Use for Gardasil |
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Tuesday, 26 January 2010 13:23 |
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new use for the Gardasil HPV vaccine and approved a new vaccine, Cervarix, for the prevention of human papillomavirus (HPV) related cervical cancer and preneoplastic disease.
Worldwide, HPV is the most common viral infection of the anogenital region, with a cumulative lifetime risk for infection approaching 70 percent. Of the approximate 100 types of HPV, 35 to 40 are known to infect the epithelium of the anogenital tract. Within this group, HPV subtypes 16 and 18 are associated with 70 percent of cervical cancers. It is hoped that vaccines that target the high-risk HPV types 16 and 18 will reduce the incidence of HPV-induced anogenital dysplasias and cancers.
For more information about HPV and HPV vaccines, read the January issue of CAP Today.
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