In a study published today in JAMA, HPV vaccination did not improve clearance of HPV 16/18 in women ages 18-25 who were already infected with the virus.
our results demonstrate that in women positive for HPV DNA, HPV-16/18 vaccination does not accelerate clearance of the virus and should not be used for purposes of treating prevalent infections.
In this study, conducted in Costa Rica, 41.3% of women were infected with HPV at the time of study enrollment. Just another reminder of how common this virus really is.
What do these results mean for patients? If a woman already has an abnormal pap or infection with HPV, vaccination will not be useful in treating her current infection. However, until we have a test to determine which of the 40 HPV subtypes our patients are infected with, vaccination may still be reasonable in such women for preventing future infections with types 16/18/6/11.
The CDC currently recommends vaccination before sexual debut as the most effective means of preventing HPV infection. The older a woman is, the greater the chance she will already have been infected with HPV.
Don’t Misread the Hype
The hype over the HPV vaccine may be misleading, leading some women to believe that the vaccine will make them immune to all HPV infection. Products like the HPV thong (seen below) do little more than promote this misunderstanding.
To be correct, here’s what that thong should look like…
Remember that the currently marketed vaccines only target 2 of the 12 known strains of HPV that cause cervical cancer. Pap smears are still critical in screening for cervical cancer and detecting precancerous lesions before they become life-threatening.
I am not a supporter of big pharma. But right from the start the company has said this vaccine is to prevent infection.They clearly stated it would not treat infections. The 2 viral types covered are the ones causing the vast majority of infections. It is dishonest to set up a straw man,and then critisize the manufacturer for something they never claimed,especially when the already stated they weren’t making the claim.
In the interest of fairness,the group doing the study should admit the manufacturor had already done the study they did,reported it,and never cliamed it would treat hpv infections.
I have been in rural practice for 30 years,and have no connection to any drug company. If I am aware of these facts thenthe people blogging on these issues should have been aware of them also.
Anonymous –
I’m not sure how you are seeing this post or the study as dishonest, or somehow against big Pharma. In fact, one of the study’s authors works for SkithKline Glaxo. The post is merely here to present this data that is helping us define the role of this new vaccine.
In no way does it criticize big pharma (unlike my other posts….) and I’m not sure how you read it that way.
We had all held out a little hope that the vaccine might do more than prevent, and this study, as well as others, seems to be putting that hope to rest.
You have to agree that there is a lot of misunderstanding about the vaccine among the American public, as typified by those panties.
That’s all I’m trying to address here.
Maybe it was the thongs that got me. You are right about the misinformation in publics mind,but thats because we no longer have an intelligent or independent press. It shows up in politics,discussion of healthcare,or whatever. Even NPR slipping.
VT MD
Love that second thong. Yet another reminder always to read the fine print.
Schruggling says:
I love your sense of humor. When I got to the thongs, I burst out laughing and images of Madeline Kahn in History of the World Part I came to mind as she says to the vestil virgins… “Virgins, put on your “no entry” signs! We are about to confront… guys!”
Classic!
And to comment on the scientific nature of the post, vaccines are not intended to cure anything…they are intended to prevent the infections. The study results should not be a surprise at all.
I am waiting for a good diagnostic to be made available to men so that we can finally set an effective study in place to see if the vaccine is effective with men prior to exposure as well. I think that the male equivalent to the pap smear ought to be invented if we can’t measure antibodies in the blood. We can call it the “Schwansmear”. I think it will go over big, don’t you?
You can’t get all strains of the virus with the current vaccines, but you can get some, and that is a great start. Education has to continue, but the dialogue is way better now (in general) than it was prior to Merck’s vaccine hitting the market, so that is another great thing.
Great post and great discussion. There is a lot of misinformation out there. The press has been doing their usual job of hyping this up. Hopefully, the truth about this effective vaccine will be conveyed through docs to patients.
hey,
just to thank you about all those discussion, really intersting, and informe you that today
(you’re gonna like it) this post has been put in a pathology lesson about cervix carcinoma.
in Lausanne, for the second year.
^^
I am honored. Thanks!