| ■ Gardasil Effective for Older Women, Gay Men: Merck Studies | 2010.02.19 |
| About 89 percent of women ages 24 to 45 who received the Gardasil vaccine were protected from cervical cancer, according to a new study. Another study found that about 77 percent of homosexual men ages 16 to 26 who received the vaccine were protected from anal cancer. The studies, released Wednesday, were funded by vaccine maker Merck & Co. The findings will be used by Merck as it seeks U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval to market Gardasil for preventing cervical cancer and genital warts in women up to age 45 and for preventing anal cancer, the Associated Press reported. Gardasil is designed to protect against strains of the sexually transmitted human papilloma virus (HPV) that can cause genital warts, cervical cancer and anal cancer. Currently, the vaccine is approved in the United States for prevention of genital warts and cervical cancer in females ages 9 to 26 and for prevention of genital warts in males ages 9 to 26, the AP reported. |