FDA OKs first cervical cancer vaccine

[Janice]

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved the first vaccine for cervical cancer -- Gardasil, manufactured by Merck and Co.

Studies show almost all cases of cervical cancer are caused by a virus known as human papillomavirus, or HPV. It is transmitted sexually and most of the time human immune systems can get rid of it, but it develops into cervical cancer in about 10,000 women a year in the United States.

There are more than 70 different types of HPV. Dr. Kevin Ault of Emory University School of Medicine, who led one of the clinical trials, said this vaccine protects against four of them, but they are the four most significant.

"These are the four medically most important types," he said. "Two of the types -- 16 and 18 -- are responsible for about 70 percent of cervical cancer and then the other two -- 6 and 11-- are responsible for about 90 percent of genital warts," Ault said.

Every year cervical cancer kills about 3,700 women in the United States. Ault says this could change that.

"If everyone would get the vaccine and the vaccine would work as well as it has in the trials, you might get up to a 70 percent reduction in cervical cancer," he said.

Gardasil is expected to be available late this summer, according to Merck.

Analysts' estimates for annual sales range from $1.6 billion to $4 billion, with the high estimate assuming that some states will require mandatory vaccination.

[HurricaneGirl]

One of my co-worker's wife just got diagnosed with cervical cancer and had a radical hysterectomy and everything. The prognosis is good but she's not out of the woods yet. Her name is Gina... please say a prayer for her if you get a chance.