FDA Approves Gardasil 9 HPV Vaccine

By Stacy Simon RESOURCES: Cervical cancer resourcesHPV and cervical cancerHuman Papilloma Virus (HPV) VaccinesAmerican Cancer Society recommendations for HPV vaccine by age The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Gardasil 9, a new vaccine for human papillomavirus (HPV). The vaccine is expected to become available in February 2015. Gardasil 9 protects against 9 types of HPV, more than the vaccines already on the market, Gardasil and Cervarix. Those vaccines protect against the 2 types of HPV that cause approximately 70% of cervical cancers. (Gardasil also protects against 2 more types that cause genital warts.) The new vaccine will protect against approximately 90% of cervical cancers, while still providing protection against genital warts. Debbie Saslow, PhD, American Cancer Society director of breast and gynecologic cancer, says people who have already gotten the vaccine are still well protected against cervical cancer and don’t need to be re-vaccinated. “While there is some extra protection with the new vaccine, the most aggressive cancers are caused by strains 16 and 18—the ones protected by the already available vaccines,” said Saslow. “Also keep in mind that because even the new vaccine does not protect against 100% of cancers, screening will still be necessary.” Gardasil 9, like the other 2 vaccines, is given as a series of 3 shots within 6 months. Saslow says people who have already started the series should cont...
Source: American Cancer Society :: News and Features - Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: Cervical Cancer Prevention/Early Detection Source Type: news