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A culture clash might have implications for the reproductive health of women.
A new vaccine that could considerably reduce the instance of cervical cancer will soon be reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration.
The breakthrough is significant because it targets some aggressive strains of human papilloma virus, the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States and the world, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
The problem -- there always seems to be one lurking around -- is a battle over the extent to which the vaccine, once approved, will be used.
Some social conservatives are complaining that aggressive treatment of teenage girls would promote sexual promiscuity. Health advocates, meanwhile, argue that if the vaccine is administered earlier (just before puberty) and more broadly, it could have a greater impact in preventing HPV and cervical cancer.
What is at stake? HPV is a particularly troublesome STD, with 20 million Americans thought to have some form of the disease. Some people are alerted to their infection by genital warts, while others show no visible symptoms.
Certain strains of HPV, such as 16 and 18, are responsible for 70 percent of cervical cancers. Precancerous lesions may call for the freezing of the cervix or, if the disease progresses, can result in the removal of part or all of the cervix, a complete hysterectomy or even death.
Difficulty in getting pregnant and maintaining the pregnancy also can be a side effect of cervical cancer if not treated early. The new vaccine by Merck & Co., Gardasil, is said to be 100 percent effective against HPV types 16 and 18.
But the question remains: When is the best time to vaccinate?
Juan Carlos Felix, who leads the National Cervical Cancer Coalition's medical advisory panel, told the Washington Post: "I would like to see it that if you don't have your HPV vaccine, you can't start high school."
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices likely will determine guidelines once a vaccine is approved. Ultimately, though, parents will and should have the last word. The vaccine shouldn't be forced on anyone's children, but it shouldn't be kept from them, either.
Social conservatives should continue to encourage abstinence as the best way to prevent sexually transmitted diseases (condoms aren't necessarily effective in preventing HPV), without taking away from the extremely promising vaccines to come from Merck and soon GlaxoSmithKiline Co.
Regardless of the politics and culture clash surrounding the discovery, the vaccines have potential in reducing a serious STD and form of cancer. These medicines could improve, if not save, lives.
(C) 2005 Omaha World-Herald. via ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved
