Can the new HPV vaccine?

Question

Can the new HPV vaccine be effective after an out break occurs, and can it be used on men?

Answer 1

On June 8, 2006, the FDA approved Gardasil, a prophylactic HPV vaccine which is marketed by Merck. The vaccine protects women against initial infection with HPV types 16 and 18, which together cause 70 percent of cervical cancers. The vaccine also protects against HPV types 6 and 11, which cause 90 percent of genital warts. Women aged nine through twenty-six can be vaccinated. GlaxoSmithKline is expected to seek approval for a prophylactic vaccine targeting HPV types 16 and 18 early in 2007. Since the vaccine will not protect women against all the HPV types that cause cervical cancer, it will be important for women to continue to seek Pap smear testing, even after receiving the vaccine.
Please see the webpages for more details on Human Papilloma Virus.

Answer 2

The new vaccine ONLY prevents people from contracting the STD. It will not cure someone who already has the virus.

Many doctors and even Merck and Co. (the company that makes the new vaccine - Gardasil) recommend ALL women get the vaccine, whether they have HPV or not. The vaccine prevents getting 4 different kinds of the virus - two that cause about 70% of cervical cancer cases and two that cause about 90% of genital wart cases. Most people don't have all four of the kinds the vaccine protects against, therefore protecting them from any kind they don't have. So, if someone only has one kind that the vaccine protects against, and they get the vaccine, it should protect them against any of the three kinds they don't already have. I've also heard some people are recommending guys get the vaccine as well. Theoretically if they get the vaccine and are protected against those 4 kinds, then they can't pass it on to any future partner they might have. And, if they do this then they won't be able to pass along a life-threatening kind of HPV, like the ones that can cause cervical cancer.

I have had HPV for over 5 years now. I developed cervical cancer from it when I was 17 and got genital warts from it about 10 months ago. I STILL plan on getting Gardasil when it comes out (which should be real soon). I know it's not going to "cure" me, but if I can prevent getting any of the kinds of HPV I don't already have then I will.

Check out these sites for more information:
http://www.gardasil.com/
http://www.cdc.gov/std/HPV/STDFact-HPV-vaccine.htm

Answer 3

sure why not