News

HPV jab 'no benefit' to infected

17-Aug-07

The HPV vaccine should not be used to treat those who already have the infection because it fails to eliminate the virus, say US researchers.

The findings appear to bolster the case for giving the vaccine to schoolgirls before they become sexually active.

The government has agreed to introduce the vaccine into the immunisation schedule in September 2008 for all girls aged 12 and 13.

For the study, the researchers randomly assigned 2,189 women, aged 18 to 25, who had tested positive for HPV into two groups.

One group received three doses of the HPV vaccine, while the other group received a control hepatitis A vaccine, over a period of six months.

After six months, the average rate of HPV viral clearance was only 33 per cent for the participants who had been given the HPV vaccine, compared with 31 per cent in the control group.

After 12 months, the HPV vaccine was found to be less effective at reducing the infection than the control vaccine.

Those who had received the HPV vaccine had an average viral clearance rate of 48 per cent, compared with 49 per cent for the control group.

Measurements of HPV-16/18 antibodies, cytologic results and HPV viral load were taken from a selection of participants who had been given the HPV vaccine, but no evidence was found to show the vaccine had reduced the virus.

Meanwhile, a UK survey has revealed that only 2.5 per cent of respondents knew that the most common cause of cervical cancer was an STI.

Comment below and tell us what you think

Comments

Only registered users may comment. Log in now or register for a free account.

Login to comment


forgotten your password?

Healthcare Republic Forums

 

Jobs

 

Job of the Week

Latest Clinical Articles

Altitude-related illness

Contributed by Dr Matthew Litchfield, GP, Nottingham and Dr James Milledge, retired consultant respi... Read more

Clinical Review - Subfertility in women

Contributed by Mr David Walker, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at the Royal United Hospit... Read more

Stable angina pectoris

Contributed by Dr Unni Krishnan, clinical research fellow in cardiology at the Glenfield Hospital, L... Read more

Show all clinical articles

MIMS Product News

Relistor

New drug - Relistor

Wyeth has launched Relistor (methylnaltrexone bromide) for the treatment of opioid-induced constipat... Read more

Thalidomide available in the UK

Thalidomide, under the name of Thalidomide Pharmion is now commercially available in the UK. Read more

MMR catch-up programme

The DoH has written to healthcare professionals to call for urgent action to help reduce the risk of... Read more