Attention Neurologists! - look for a Gardasil/ALS association

Oct. 16, 2009 (Baltimore) -- Researchers believe that there may be a link between a vaccine against cervical cancer and a rapidly progressive, fatal disease in two young women.

Both the timing of the symptoms and autopsy results “suggest a link between” the Merck Gardasil vaccine and the fatal cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, says Catherine Lomen-Hoerth, MD, director of the ALS Center at University of California San Francisco Medical Center.

With only two confirmed cases, “we don’t know for sure if it’s coincidence or if they’re connected [to the vaccine],” she tells WebMD. “We hope that by raising awareness, we will become aware of any other cases."

More at WebMD

Presumably GSK will be looking at Cervarix as well.

Hat tip: Helen Borel

Found in Merck's marketing department wastebasket

Picture credit!

Matt Herper has the story!

Cervix Wars contd.- score one for Cervarix

The pink leaflets are ready, the posters are poised to go up and the advertising slots have been booked both on kids and primetime TV and radio.

Tomorrow marks the start of a new academic year. It is also the launch date of a campaign which heralds the introduction of the biggest mass vaccination programme for more than a decade.

By the end of September, there will hardly be a Year Eight girl (aged 12-13) in the UK who doesn't know that, barring an opt-out, she is shortly to receive three injections of the drug Cervarix, which will offer her 70 per cent protection against cervical cancer.

More

Cervix Wars contd.

The UK Department of Health has announced (PDF) that the human papillomavirus vaccination programme is to be extended to include young women aged 17-18.

The decision to use Cervarix® has been criticised but this announcement does start to explain why the programme is using an apparently inferior vaccine.

Hat tip: http://www.prescriber.org.uk/

Merck - Gardasil: carry on injecting

A review of health problems reported after women and girls received Merck's Gardasil vaccine shows it remains safe and effective for protecting against a virus that causes cervical cancer, U.S. officials said on Tuesday.

More at Reuters

Cervix wars - score one for Cervarix

The Department of Health has announced that the national contract for human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV) has gone to Cervarix®. This announcement has also been reported in the general media (BBC, The Times).

As previously noted, Gardasil® has a wider range of licensed indications based on the current Summaries of Product Characteristics (Cervarix and Gardasil). In addition to the wider range of indications, Gardasil is also licensed in a wider age group and for both genders.

The official announcement notes that the decision was based on a wide range of criteria such as their scientific qualities and cost effectiveness but that the price remains commercially confidential.

At a time when the NHS has a significant cash surplus it must be hoped that, for reasons of transparency, the rationale for choosing what appears to be an inferior vaccine are made public.

Hat tip