Friday, August 7, 2009

Best Genital Warts Treatments

If you have genital warts - you MUST get rid of them as soon as it is possible because genital warts are very contagious!! So you must use some genital wart treatments!

and if you really want to get rid of genital warts forever then you should know that there is many different genital wart treatments and you can remove genital warts by surgery, freezing, laser, acid or cream but genital warts can reappear again and again because genital warts appears when your immune system is weak!

HPV is the virus that causes genital warts. People can be infected with HPV and never show any symptoms. Others will develop genital warts. These warts can stay the same size, grow, or go away on their own. It largely depends on the infected person's immune system. A healthy immune system means your body may be able to suppress the virus and not show symptoms.

Even after the warts go away after genital warts treatemnt, the person will always remain infected with HPV. That person can spread the virus even without showing symptoms.

so you must build up your immune system because your body can get rid of genital warts by itself if your immune system will be strong! so eat more healthy food, more vitamins and more sport activities! (No smoking, no beer/ale, no booze, no drugs, no junk food, no fast food garbage, no sugary sweet soda's. Get on a good, balanced, healthy diet including plenty of boiled or steamed vegetables.
Drink P L E N T Y O F W A T E R , fruit juices & fat free milk. Snack on lots of RAW fruit & veggies. Get up one hour early every morning & take a BRISK 30 minute walk - then - do the same thing again in the evening after dinner. Make sure you eat a good, balanced breakfast daily. You get your energy for the day from your breakfast meal. Get 8 hours sleep each night. Flip your mattress over so it will level out to give you a good night's rest. Slack off too much coffee & tea)

also you must use herbal genital warts treatment because you can not always live 100% healthy...!!!

in that case Wartrol is really good (probably the best) product that gets rid of genital warts comparatively fast and makes you feel more confident knowing that they wont reappear again! It works by stimulating your immune system to fight the HPV virus that causes the warts + it helps to prevent cervical, penile, anal and etc cancer because HPV virus in 70% cases can cause cancer!!!

and of course it is better if you use full course (5 months - if I remember correctly).
( WARTROL is 110% safe because it contains 5 main ingredients which are safe - Black Sulphide of Antimony, Wild Yellow Indigo, Potassium Hydrate, Arbor Vitae (Tree of Life) and Nitricum Acidum (Nitric Acid) and those ingredients have no side effects!

It worked very fast and still works for me because I do not have genital wart outbreaks anymore and my papsmear is still normal!!!
And we also recommend it to our patients.

I do not know if any pharmacies carry Wartrol but I do know that you should purchase it directly from the manufacturer and read more about the product HERE (WARTROL official site)

The advantage of Wartrol over other natural genital warts treatments for genital warts is that, since it is taken orally, it also acts on invisible and internal genital warts that CAN NOT BE treated by other creams and natural remedies. So choose the best genital warts treatment for you!

Saturday, March 21, 2009

HPV Vaccines

The recommendation that all 11-12 year old girls (as well as women up to 26

years of age) be immunized with HPV vaccine was an important public health
milestone. However, mandating this vaccine for school attendance raises a number
of unique social, ethical and moral questions. Before addressing these
questions, let’s consider some issues about

HPV infections
and

vaccines
as well as about

immunization mandates
for school attendance.


1. Infection with HPV types that cause cancer. While some
HPV types are spread by casual contact, other types are acquired by intimate
sexual contact. These are known as genital HPV infections.

Genital HPVs
cause cervical cancer—as well as other cancers and genital
warts.

  • By 50 years of age, 70-80% of women will have acquired genital HPV
    infection—often with more than one type of HPV.

  • Adolescents and young adults are very likely to acquire genital HPV
    infection within a few months after beginning sexual activity.

  • A woman can also be infected with HPV by involuntary sexual
    exposure—such as date rape—as well as by her husband (or partner) if he was
    infected from a prior sexual partner, even if she were abstinent until
    marriage.

  • Although the vast majority of women recover uneventfully from high-risk
    (cancer causing) genital HPV infections, some of these infections may lead
    to persistent infection, cause abnormal Pap tests, and progress to cervical
    cancer. Regular Pap screening and then the treatment of any abnormalities
    that are detected prevent many HPV infections from causing cervical cancer.

2. Vaccines against HPV. Two HPV vaccines have been under
development in the United States and

one of these was licensed in June 2006
.

The new vaccines target HPV types 16 and 18, which cause about 70% of the
cases of cervical cancer. However:

  • The vaccines do not protect a woman who is infected withe vaccine strain
    of HPV infection before she is vaccinated—that is, vaccine needs to be
    administered prior to exposure to the virus.

  • They do not protect against other high risk (cancer causing) strains not
    in the vaccine—therefore, they will not eliminate all HPV-caused cancers.
    Thus, screening and treatment programs will still be needed to reduce
    cervical cancer deaths.

Because these vaccines prevent persistent genital HPV infections, they also
may have the potential to reduce the transmission of these particular
strains from person to person.

The vaccines appear to be very safe. Nevertheless, unexpected rare adverse
events may not be detected until after many more people have been immunized.


3. Vaccine recommendations and school mandates. The
individual states determine which vaccines should be required for school and
daycare entry based on the public health needs of the state, usually based upon
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations. States
require that school children be immunized against certain diseases to protect
bothe the vaccine recipient and his/her schoolmates from contagious illnesses.

State requirements differ
.


  • School mandates have increased immunization levels and have reduced
    disease outbreaks, including among those who cannot receive the vaccine
    because of medical reasons.

  • Most states permit religious and/or philosophical exemptions, in
    addition to exemptions for medical contraindications.

  • Children who have been exempted from compulsory immunization for
    religious or philosophical reasons are many times more likely to both
    acquire and spread vaccine-preventable diseases.

4. Universal HPV immunization of school girls. The CDC has
made a

universal recommendation
for girls 11-12 years of age to receive the HPV
vaccine (as well as older girls and women):

  • A universal recommendation helps remove the social stigma associated
    with receiving the HPV vaccine; that is, girls or women who receive the
    vaccine should not be considered to be “more likely to engage in risky
    sexual behavior” than their peers.

  • A universal recommendation makes the vaccine eligible for funding
    through the
    Vaccines For Children (VFC)
    program. In addition, any serious adverse
    events associated with the vaccine can be addressed under the

    Vaccine Injury Compensation Program
    .

Prevention of genital HPV infections

Avoiding HPV exposure. HPV infections are usually without
symptoms and can last for decades. For that reason, it is not possible to
accurately assess the risk of acquiring a genital HPV infection from any
specific sexual partner.

  • Total sexual abstinence is logically the best protection against
    acquiring all sexually transmitted infections, including genital HPVs.
    However, it will not protect a woman against involuntary exposure such as
    date rape and is not a very practical long term strategy.

  • Abstinence until marriage does not protect a woman if her husband is
    infected from a prior sexual partner.

  • Monogamy by both sexual partners could possibly assure a woman’s
    protection—but only if both partners have been abstinent and they remain
    strictly monogamous.

Limiting HPV exposures.

Sexual behaviors
are the most important risk factors for acquiring genital
HPV infection. Delaying sexual intercourse and limiting the number of sexual
partners could reduce the risk of HPV infection. But:

  • More than 7% of high school students have their first sexual intercourse
    before 13 years of age and 62% of girls and 70% of boys have had sexual
    intercourse by the end of 12th grade. By ninth grade, almost 11% have had
    more than four sex partners.

  • Consistent condom use may or may not provide some protection against
    acquiring HPV—but condoms do protect against other sexually transmitted
    infections, some of which may relate to whether her HPV infection progresses
    to cervical cancer or not.

Preventive HPV Vaccines. The most effective strategy to
prevent HPV infection with the strains in the vaccine (which cause 70% of the
cases of cervical cancer) is to immunize women before they become infected. That
is why immunization is recommended for all girls at 11-12 years of age. However:


  • The current HPV vaccines will not protect against other strains of HPV.
    Thirty percent of cervical cancers are due to infection with strains not
    included in the vaccine.

  • It is not yet known how long vaccine-induced immunity will last.

Compulsory HPV immunization. Mandating HPV immunization for
school entry would increase the proportion of girls and women who are
immunized—and therefore immune to the HPV types in the vaccine—before most of
them will be exposed. This is the most compelling argument in favor of mandating
this vaccine.

Others argue that HPV mandates are not appropriate because school

immunization laws are intended to control outbreaks of contagious diseases—such
as measles, diphtheria and others—that can spread easily to other school
children in the classroom. HPV is spread only by intimate sexual contact.

Other factors to consider are:



  • Costs of the vaccine
    .
    The vaccine is expensive (about $120 per
    dose for the three shot series). To be most effective, a girl needs to
    receive the entire 3 dose series, which requires three healthcare visits
    (two more than is usual). The VFC and some health insurance plans cover the
    costs of the 3 HPV vaccine doses and clinic visits. But not all families
    have insurance, not all insurance plans cover HPV vaccine, and most children
    are not VFC eligible.

  • Possible vaccine-associated disparities. Poorer women
    are more likely to develop HPV infection and develop cervical cancer. If
    poor women can not afford to get the vaccine, this disparity could become
    greater. However, compulsory HPV vaccination could reduce the disease burden
    disparity by assuring all socioeconomic groups of women obtain the vaccine.
    Whether HPV immunization is compulsory or not, the cost of the vaccine will
    keep some girls and women from receiving the vaccine.



  • Exemptions
    to compulsory immunization.
    Many parents and young
    women who feel that laws requiring HPV immunization would conflict with
    their beliefs and their personal liberties—or cost too much—would have a
    means of opting out of compulsory HPV immunization. A possible, unintended,
    adverse consequence then could be that people who opt out of HPV vaccine
    might also opt out of other vaccines intended for this age group.







Could other mandates provide insight?

  • Hepatitis B (HBV),
    like HPV, is largely a sexually transmitted infection that can lead
    to liver cancer. HBV vaccine is recommended at birth and most states
    require HBV immunization for day care and school entry. However,
    mandates for HBV vaccine are different, because

    as many as 30% of HBV infections have no known sexual contacts (or
    other high risk behaviors)
    .



  • Tetanus
    is a serious, life threatening illness that is not
    spread from person to person but which is, nevertheless, required
    for school and day care attendance. However, all diphtheria and
    pertussis vaccines include tetanus as a component.

  • Bicycle helmets and infant car seats are compulsory for children
    in some communities.




Other Issues

Parental Concerns


Parental acceptance of HPV vaccines for their 11-12 year old daughters will
affect whether the vaccine is widely used in this age group. Most (75%) parents
in a recent

California study
indicated that they would likely give their daughters the
HPV vaccine before the age of 13 years in order to keep their daughters safe.
However, 25% of parents have reservations about having their daughters immunized
at that age. The reasons they gave were their concern that vaccination might
influence their daughter’s sexual behaviors, their uneasiness about the morality
of immunizing to prevent sexually transmitted infections, and worries about the
safety of the vaccine.


  • Will girls and women who receive the HPV vaccine be more likely
    to engage in risky behavior?
    Preventing other sexually transmitted
    infections such as HIV (the cause of AIDS), gonorrhea, genital herpes etc.
    through abstinence and safe sex practices remains important for girls to
    understand. It seems unlikely that a vaccine that prevents a small number
    sexually transmitted infections which have no symptoms would cause girls to
    be promiscuous or have unsafe sex, as some have suggested. However, there is
    no evidence to support or refute this concern.

  • Potential adverse events from the HPV vaccine. Since
    our experience with this new vaccine is limited and not all women are
    exposed to high risk HPVs, some girls could experience rare vaccine adverse
    events not yet identified without a corresponding benefit.

Will immunized women stop seeking cervical cancer screening programs?


Some have speculated that HPV-immunized women might not participate in cervical
cancer screening programs, thinking that they are not at risk anymore. The truth
is that they remain at risk for other high risk HPV infections and any
pre-existing HPV infection that they may have acquired prior to HPV
immunization. There is no evidence to support or refute this concern either.

Will universal HPV immunization reduce transmission of vaccine-strain
HPVs?


Although universal HPV vaccination may well reduce the transmission of the
vaccine type strains, there is no data that addresses this issue. However, it
seems unlikely that universal immunization of girls and young women would reduce
transmission, in the absence of an intervention to prevent transmission by and
to men. Data concerning the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine for boys and
men is being collected but is not available yet.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

How can HPV affect me?

HPV and cervical cancer

Did you know that cervical cancer is caused by certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV)?

Although most HPV infections go away on their own without causing any harm, there are over 30 different types of HPV that affect the genital area, and 2 of these cause approximately 70% of cervical cancer cases. When these types of HPV infect the cells of the cervix (the opening to the uterus), it's a possibility that the cells will become cancerous.

How could cervical cancer affect your life?

If precancerous lesions (abnormal cells that could become cancer but haven't yet) are caught early, they can most often be successfully treated.
If the cancer is not caught early enough, this may mean you need to undergo surgery or radiation therapy.
Basically, the later the cancer is detected, the lower the survival rate.
In Canada, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women between 20 and 44 years old.
Find out ways to protect yourself against cervical cancer:
Ask your doctor about having regular Pap tests and checkups to help detect any problems early.
Be sure to practice safer sex.
Talk to your doctor about vaccination.

HPV and abnormal cervical cells (cervical dysplasia)

Female reproductive system

Although most HPV infections go away on their own without causing any harm, there are some types of HPV that can affect the genital area and lead to abnormal cervical cells, or cervical dysplasia. Cervical dysplasia are cells that have changed in appearance. They may be called precancerous because they can develop into cervical cancer. These abnormal cells don't usually cause symptoms, and the best way for you to find out if they're present is by having regular Pap tests.

Regular Pap tests can find these abnormal cells before they turn into cervical cancer, so it's very important to have Pap tests on a regular basis. Ask your doctor how often you should be having a Pap test.

If your doctor says the results of your Pap test are abnormal, remember that this doesn't necessarily mean you have cancer. Stay calm! Your doctor may want to remove the cells and you may be asked to go for more frequent Pap tests for a while until you get the "all clear." Some physicians may choose to take a "wait and see" approach along with more frequent Pap tests for mild cases of cervical dysplasia as these cases may go away on their own. Whichever approach you undergo, remember that you're not alone.

HPV and genital warts

Did you know that genital warts are caused by only certain types of HPV?

2 types of the HPV virus cause 90% of all cases of genital warts.

Genital warts look like flesh-coloured bumps and they can be flat or look like a typical wart. You might hear some people describing them as "cauliflower-like." Some can be so small that you can't see them, others can be larger. They usually appear on the cervix (outer end of the uterus) or vulva (the external parts of the female genital organs), but can also be in surrounding areas, including the thighs. In men, they can be on any genital area and the thighs, too. Genital warts are highly contagious: 2 out of 3 people who have sex with an infected partner will develop genital warts.

How could genital warts affect my life?

If you're intimate with a partner, it can be pretty embarrassing to have to tell them that you have genital warts.
Genital warts can cause itching, vaginal discharge, and even vaginal bleeding after sex.
Genital warts can also cause problems during pregnancy and during childbirth. In rare cases, they can also infect the baby, causing warts to form in the baby's throat.
Genital warts can be treated with prescription cream medications, electric currents, freezing, or laser surgery, but because HPV cannot be cured, the warts may come back.

HPV and other health problems

Did you know that HPV can cause vulvar cancer (cancer of the external female genital area) and cancer of the vagina?
When certain types of HPV infect the cells of the vagina and vulva, they may cause the cells to change in ways that make them more likely to turn into cancer cells.
How could vulvar or vaginal cancers affect you?
If vulvar or vaginal cancer is caught early, it can be treated with surgery and the survival rates are good.
If the cancer is not detected until later, it's more serious. Survival rates are much lower, and treatments would involve surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.

HPV and other cancers

HPV can also cause cancer of the uterus and colon (anus) in women, and cancer of the penis, scrotum, and colon in men. It's also been found to cause some head and neck cancers.
Fortunately, there are ways to reduce the risk of getting infected with HPV. It's also possible to detect these cancers early. Pap tests and other tests can detect abnormal cervical cells. Talk to your doctor about having regular pelvic exams and checkups, and find out how often you should be having them. If you're embarrassed, just call up your doctor's office and ask. Also ask about all the things that you can do to protect yourself.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Anal Cancer in Gay and Bisexual Men

Overview, Types, Symptoms, Diagnosis

Anal cancer is an uncommon, often curable cancer that produces slow-growing tumors and lesions in the anus and nearby anal anatomy. Most anal cancers are associated with human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes warts on the anus and genitals, similar to cervical and other cancers of the reproductive system. Providers recommend annual anal Pap smears to HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM), and biannual Pap smears to HIV-negative MSM.

Pap smears screen for HPV and abnormal tissue growth (dysplasia). Routine anal Pap smears may reduce the incidence and progression of anal cancer, as they have for cervical and uterine cancer. The prognosis is good if the cancer is discovered early.
Incidence and Prevalence Anal cancer affects men and women, but it is the only cancer with a greater prevalence among men who have sex with men (MSM) than in the general population. About 35 in every 100,000 MSM develop anal cancer, compared to less than one in every 100,000 heterosexual men. The risk for anal cancer in HIV-positive men is twice as high as that for HIV-negative MSM.

The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be 3,500 new cases of anal cancer among men and women in 2001 and 500 deaths resulting from it. Cancer of the perianal skin around the anus is more common in men, while tumors of the anal canal more often affect women.
Anal cancer accounts for only 4% of all cancers affecting the digestive tract.
Types Anal cancers are skin cancers. The majority of anal cancers are squamous cell carcinomas (in situ or epidermoid), which originate in the first layer of anal tissue and may spread to deeper layers. This type is associated with HPV. About 15% of anal cancers originate in the glands near the anus; this is called adenocarcinoma, or Paget's disease. The remaining anal cancers are basal cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma. Melanoma in the anus is difficult to see and is often discovered at a late stage, after the cancer has spread through layers of tissue.
Risk Factors The exact cause of anal cancer is unknown. Aside from general cancer risk factors, like smoking and alcohol consumption, certain risk factors increase a person's risk for developing anal cancer. HPV and anogenital warts are a significant risk factor. This includes past and current infections. Some strains of HPV that cause larger warts are not associated with cancer.
Most men that develop anal cancer are over 50 years old, although coinfection with HIV increases the chance of early development.

Symptoms

Many men have no visible symptoms of anal cancer. However, because the cancer is strongly associated with HPV infection, a history of anogenital warts is likely. Although most lesions are benign, any visible anal sore or bump should be examined. They may be a sign that others have developed in the anal canal.
Other signs include the following:

  • Abnormal discharge from the anus
  • Bleeding from the rectum and anus
  • Itching of the anus
  • Pain or pressure around the anus
  • Sore around the anus that does not heal

All of these signs warrant an examination by a physician.

Diagnosis

Anal cancer is diagnosed with an anal Pap smear, in which a cotton swab is inserted past the anus and swirled to capture a tissue sample. The tissue cells are examined under a microscope for signs of dysplasia. An abnormal Pap smear shows signs of excessive cell growth and is followed by a colposcopy, the internal examination of specific lesions or areas of cell growth for biopsy. Acetic acid (vinegar) is introduced into the anal canal to prepare the cells before an anoscope, a plastic tube, in inserted. The provider inserts a colposcope through the anoscope to visualize the cells in the anus with magnification. The procedure is painless. During a biopsy, a biopsy forceps is inserted in the suspect tissue to obtain a sample for close examination. Lesions and tumors found during a colposcopy are typically biopsied.

Anal cancer may be discovered during a routine digital rectal exam (DRE), in which a medical professional inserts a gloved finger past the anus to feel for abnormalities.
Staging Staging is the evaluation of the size and location of a tumor to determine a prognosis and appropriate treatment. Initially, abnormal tissue growth is classified as high- or low-grade squamous interepithelial neoplasia (LSIN or HSIN; high- or low-grade abnormal cell growth), or as cancer. This is determined by the biopsy performed during colposcopy.


If cancer is detected, its stages are described in the following way:

Stage 0
Cancer is found only in top layer of anal tissue (squamous cell carcinomas).
Stage I
Cancer has metastasized (spread) beyond first layer of tissue but is smaller than 2 centimeters.
Stage II
Cancer is larger than 2 centimeters but confined to tissue.
Stage III A
Cancer has metastasized to nearby organs (bladder, reproductive) or lymph nodes.
Stage III B
Cancer has metastasized to organs and lymph nodes in the abdomen, groin, or rectum.
Stage IV
Cancer has metastasized to distant organs.


The TNM system is also used to stage anal cancer. In this system, T corresponds to tumor size, N refers to whether or not the lymph nodes are affected, and M refers to whether or not the cancer has metastasized (spread) to other organs.

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Wartrol

If you have been infected with the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), then you have genital warts. They are probably continually itchy, they look ugly and they are a major cause of frustration.
But, fortunately there is a solution and it is Wartrol. Wartrol's genital warts treatment is 100% safe and natural. This means there is no possible way of getting side effects from harmful chemicals.

In a recent Wartrol review the performance of Wartrol was studied precisely. The results concluded from this Wartrol review were far better than expected.
Good visible results were seen in approximately 3 week, and complete relief was seen in 4 to 6 months depending on severity. The success of the treatment on all the tested patients was over 97%.

Dermatologists determined the Wartrol treatment extremely effective. The safety of the product is considered very safe. There were no side effects noted what so ever.
By looking at the results of this Wartrol review it's straightforward to see why Wartrol is by the leader in genital wart treatment. Not only were results of the Wartrol review better than expected statistically, but the patients were more than happy with the ease of the application of the product. They found it more appealing than other painful treatments and embarrassing options.

Among the patients one of the best parts to the product was there were secondary outbreaks within the test group. Both men and women showed absolutely no signs of the genital wart returning.

Wartrol have extremely high standards for themselves in terms of safety and effectiveness, combine this with the potent ingredients, cost efficient prices and a proven reputation it's no wonder why it's the best genital warts treatment. The fact they offer a 3 month money back guarantee shows that they have absolute confidence in their product.
Genital warts you don't want your partner to have them, you don't want to have them. If left untreated they get worse and worse. Imagine what people will say if they find out that you have genital warts. Your reputation would be dealt a massive blow. So act now by using the best natural genital warts treatment available, before the problem get out of hand.

If want more information about Wartrol visit wartrol.com

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Gardasil Vaccine Ingredients - Roach Killer, Aluminum, and Polysorbate 80

Manufactured by Merck, the proud maker of Vioxx, the Gardasil vaccine is perhaps one of the most controversial vaccines to date. The push to mandate this, which supersedes the individuals rights to choose how to care for their own health. Should the vaccine prove 10 to 15 years from now to be a sterilizing agent, we would lose and entire generation of child bearing girls, and do not think it cannot happen. Gardasil vaccine ingredients include amorphous aluminum hydroxyphosphate sulfate, sodium chloride, L-histidine, polysorbate 80, sodium borate, (roach killer), and water for injection.

Gardasil vaccine ingredients - Polysorbate 80: Although Polysorbate 80 is a food additive that enables solubility of flavoring oils with water, injection is quite different. Polysorbate 80 injected into prepubescent rats caused a rapid growth of reproductive organs, but growth was abnormal and the rats were sterile, unable to have children. When used intravenously with vitamins it has been known to cause anaphylactic shock. According to the Polysorbate 80 MSDS, it may be a carcinogenic, (cause cancer), as well as a mutagenic, (birth defects).

Sodium Borate, AKA Roach Killer: From the National Library of Medicine, "Sodium borate is no longer used in medical preparations", until now. The U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health declares Sodium Borate to be a dangerous poison. Two of the medical uses of the past were for disinfecting wounds, until people started dying from repeated cleaning), and cleaning nursery's, (until too many babies started dying) Side effects of Roach killer, I mean Sodium borate are vomiting, diarrhea, skin rash, blisters, collapse, coma, convulsions, drowsiness, fever, lack of desire to do anything, low blood pressure, decreased urine output, sloughing of the skin, twitching of facial muscles, arms, hands, legs, and feet.

Amorphous Aluminum Hydroxyphosphate Sulphate: Aluminum is a serious neurotoxin and has been linked to Alzheimer's, autopsies have shown Alzheimer's patients to have a build up of aluminum around dead brain tissue. People who have received their flu shots for 5 years in a row have a 10 fold increased risk of Alzheimer's. Aluminum Salts are used as an adjuvant, in other words they stimulate the body's immune system. Amazingly I cannot find an MSDS sheet for this, however aluminum phosphate, (very similar aluminum salt) is hazardous in case of skin contact (irritant), of eye contact (irritant), of ingestion, of inhalation. Corrosive to eyes and skin. The amount of tissue damage depends on length of contact. Eye contact can result in corneal damage or blindness. Skin contact can produce inflammation and blistering. Inhalation of dust will produce irritation to gastro-intestinal or respiratory tract, characterized by burning, sneezing and coughing. Severe over-exposure can produce lung damage, choking, unconsciousness or death. Obviously when injected the contact remains until the body can flush this out.

Gardasil was tested for 5 years, not long enough to know if 9 year old girls are going to be sterile or if they will have birth defects in their offspring. The Gardasil vaccine ingredients are among the worst list of ingredients of any vaccine I have read the ingredients of so far.

Disclaimer: This article, "Gardasil Vaccine Ingredients" is not intended to give medical advice. It is a call to educate yourself so that in making a decision where your child is concerned, you should take an active role in learning all you can from medical experts on both sides of the fence, then make an educated decision. we did not make an informed decision until one son got Leukemia and another developed Autism immediately after receiving his MMR vaccine. This has sent us on a quest to inform ourselves and others to seriously question what kind of toxic soups are being injected with the vaccines. Odds are if your child is injured by a vaccine, you have little or no recompense against the industry.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Cervarix

Cervarix is a vaccine against certain types of the human papillomavirus (HPV).

Cervarix is designed to prevent infection from HPV types 16 and 18, which currently cause about 70% of cervical cancer cases. Type 16 is also associated with oropharyngeal squamous-cell carcinoma, a form of throat cancer. Additionally, some cross-reactive protection against virus strains 45 and 31 were shown in clinical trials. Cervarix is also formulated with AS04, a proprietary adjuvant that has been found to boost the immune system response for a longer period of time.
Indications

Cervarix is a preventative cervical cancer vaccine, not therapeutic. HPV immunity is type-specific, so a successful series of Cervarix shots will not block infection from cervical cancer-causing HPV strains other than HPV 16, 18, 31 and 45, so experts continue to recommend routine cervical Pap smears even for women who have been vaccinated.

Biotechnology

Cervarix is created using the L1 protein of the viral capsid. Recombinant activity in a baculovirus vector produces L1 protein spheres, which are very immunogenic. The viral proteins induce the formation of neutralizing antibodies. The vaccine contains no live virus and no DNA, so it cannot infect the patient. The vaccine was developed, in parallel, by researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center, the University of Rochester, the University of Queensland in Australia, and the U.S. National Cancer Institute.

Clinical trials

Phase II trials demonstrated 100% protection of the vaccine against types 16 and 18 HPV, including among 1100 women from North America and Brazil. Phase III trials included over 660 women from Germany and Poland. Company officials are now conducting a clinical trial to determine whether Cervarix is more effective than rival Merck's HPV vaccine Gardasil.

Longevity of the vaccination has proven so far to be at least 5.5 years. In the clinical trials, women were given three doses over a six-month span -- at 0 month, 1 month, and 6 months. The technology used in this vaccine was licensed from the University of Rochester.
Regulatory Approval
  • Australia - It received approval in May 2007 in Australia for women ages 10 to 45.
  • Philippines - On August 25, 2007 GlaxoSmithKline launched Cervarix in the Philippines after approval by the local Bureau of Food and Drugs.
  • European Union - It was approved in September 2007 in the European Union.
  • United States of America On March 29, 2007 GlaxoSmithKline submitted a Biologics License Application (BLA) for Cervarix (human papillomavirus vaccine, AS04 adjuvant-adsorbed), to the FDA which included data from clinical trials in almost 30,000 females 10 to 55 years of age and contains data from the largest Phase III cervical cancer vaccine efficacy trial to date.
  • GSK awaiting results of further trials to submit to the FDA. Approval is not expected before late 2009.


Use

Cervarix is used by the UK government for its national programme of vaccination for teenage girls. This caused some controversy since Cervarix was chosen over Gardasil apparently for cost reasons, even though Gardasil protects against HPV strains 6 and 11 in addition to 16 and 18.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Gardasil

Gardasil (Merck & Co.), also known as Gardisil or Silgard, is a vaccine against certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV).
Gardasil is designed to prevent infection with HPV types 16, 18, 6, and 11. HPV types 16 and 18 currently cause about 70% of cervical cancer cases, and also cause some vulvar, vaginal, penile and anal cancers[5]. HPV types 6 and 11 cause about 90% of genital warts cases.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections cause nearly all cases of cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is the fifth leading cause of death from cancer in women world-wide[6], and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women in the majority of developing countries.
Gardasil is only effective in preventing HPV infections, not in treating those already infected by HPV, and so the vaccine must be given before HPV infection occurs in order to be effective. For this reason it is recommended to administer the vaccine before adolescence and the onset of sexual activity.
Gardasil can also be used to vaccinate males.

History
The research that led to the development of the vaccine began in the 1980s by groups at the University of Rochester, Georgetown University, and the US National Cancer Institute. In 1991 investigators at the University of Queensland found a way to form non-infectious virus-like particles (VLP), which could also strongly activate the immune system. However, these VLPs assembled poorly and did not have the same structure as infectious HPV. In 1993, a laboratory at the US National Cancer Institute was able to generate HPV16 VLPs that were morphologically correct. These VLPs were the basis for the HPV16 component of the Gardasil vaccine. The history of the discovery of this vaccine is described by McNeil. Upon commercialization of the vaccine, controversy involving intellectual property arose between the various groups that played a role in developing the vaccine.
Clinical trials
Merck & Co. conducted a Phase III study named FUTURE II. This clinical trial was a randomized double-blind study with one controlled placebo group and one vaccination group. Over 12,000 women aged 16–26 from thirteen countries participated in the study. Each woman was injected with either Gardasil or a placebo on Day 1, Month 2, and Month 6. In total, 6,082 women were given Gardasil and 6,075 received the placebo. Merck has tested the vaccine in several hundred 11- and 12-year-old girls. On February 27, 2006, the independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board recommended the clinical trials be terminated on ethical grounds, so that young women on placebo could receive Gardasil.
Indications and prevalence
Gardasil is a prophylactic HPV vaccine, meaning that it is designed to prevent the initial establishment of HPV infections. For maximum efficacy, it is recommended that girls receive the vaccine prior to becoming sexually active. However, women who were already infected with one or more of the four HPV types targeted by the vaccine (6, 11, 16, or 18) were protected from clinical disease caused by the remaining HPV types in the vaccine.
Since Gardasil will not block infection with all of the HPV types that can cause cervical cancer, the vaccine should not be considered a substitute for routine pap smears.
Fewer HPV infections mean fewer complications from the virus and less time and money spent on the detection, work-up, and treatment of cervical cancer and its immediate precursor, cervical dysplasia. It prevents infertility caused by cervical biopsies and reduces the severe respiratory problems of children who are infected by HPV from their mothers. In addition, protection against HPV 6 and HPV 11 is expected to eliminate 90% of the cases of genital warts. Gardasil also protects against vulvar and vaginal cancers caused by HPV types 16 and 18.
Merck is seeking FDA approval to market Gardasil to older women aged 27 to 45. As of early part of 2009, FDA has requested final trial data before it approves the drug for this age group.

Use in males
Gardasil is also effective in males, providing protecton against genital warts and some potentially precancerous lesions caused by some HPV types. An ongoing study of 4,065 males demonstrated the efficacy of Gardasil in males who did not have HPV infection prior to vaccination. The vaccination is expected to protect against penile cancer and anal cancer caused by included HPV types, and research in this area is still underway.
In December 2008, Merck asked the FDA for permission to market the vaccine in the United States for males between ages 9 to 26. In the UK HPV vaccines are already licensed for males aged 9 to 15 and for females aged 9 to 26.
Gardasil is in particular demand among gay men, who are at significantly increased risk for genital warts and anal cancer caused by HPV.
HPV vaccines may be useful in preventing anal cancer caused by HPV types 16 and 18. A 2005 study in San Francisco found that 95 percent of HIV-infected gay men also had anal HPV infection, of which 50 percent had precancerous HPV-caused lesions. Type 16 is also associated with oropharyngeal squamous-cell carcinoma, a form of throat cancer.
Administration
Gardasil is given in three injections over six months. The second injection is two months after the first, and the third injection is four months after the second shot is administered.
Biotechnology

The HPV major capsid protein, L1, can spontaneously self-assemble into virus-like particles (VLPs) that resemble authentic HPV virions. Gardasil contains recombinant VLPs assembled from the L1 proteins of HPVs 6, 11, 16 and 18. Since VLPs lack the viral DNA, they cannot induce cancer. They do, however, trigger an antibody response that protects vaccine recipients from becoming infected with the HPV types represented in the vaccine.

Public health advantages

According to the American Centers for Disease Control, getting as many girls vaccinated as early and as quickly as possible will reduce the cases of cervical cancer among middle-aged women in 30 to 40 years and reduce the transmission of this highly communicable disease. Unfortunately, there are hurdles to getting this done. These include the limited understanding by many people that HPV causes cervical cancer, the difficulty of getting pre-teens and teens into the doctor’s office to get a shot, and the high cost of the vaccine ($120/dose, $360 total for the three required doses, plus the cost of doctor visits).

In the United States it is believed that one way to bring down the cost of the vaccine and to educate the public on the benefits of vaccination is to make it mandatory for girls entering school. This approach has been taken with vaccines for mumps, measles, rubella, and hepatitis B (which is also sexually transmitted) so many state legislators have penned bills that do this. Almost all pieces of legislation currently pending in the states that would make the vaccine mandatory for school entrance have an "opt-out" policy.

The National Cancer Institute writes, "Widespread vaccination has the potential to reduce cervical cancer deaths around the world by as much as two-thirds, if all women were to take the vaccine and if protection turns out to be long-term. In addition, the vaccines can reduce the need for medical care, biopsies, and invasive procedures associated with the follow-up from abnormal Pap tests, thus helping to reduce health care costs and anxieties related to abnormal Pap tests and follow-up procedures (2)."

Efficacy

The National Cancer Institute says, "FDA-approved Gardasil prevented nearly 100 percent of the precancerous cervical cell changes caused by the types of HPV targeted by the vaccine for up to 4 years after vaccination." The vaccine is believed to be effective for longer, but for how long, and whether a booster shot will be needed is still being studied.

Darren Brown, Indiana University, reported at the 2007 Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy that Gardasil had 38% efficacy against 10 other HPV types responsible for >20% of cervical cancer cases.

Safety

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the vaccine was tested in over 11,000 women and girls (ages 9 to 26). The Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control say that the vaccine has only minor side effects, such as soreness around the injection area. The FDA and CDC consider the vaccine to be safe. It does not contain mercury, thiomersal or live virus or dead virus, only virus-like particles, which cannot reproduce in the human body. Merck, the manufacturer of Gardasil, will continue to test women who have received the vaccine to determine the vaccine's efficacy over the period of a lifetime.

Fainting is more common among adolescents receiving the Gardasil vaccine than in other kinds of vaccinations. Patients should remain seated for 15 minutes after they receive the HPV vaccine. There have been reports that the shot is more painful than other common vaccines, and the manufacturer Merck partly attributes this to the virus-like particles within the vaccine. General side effects of the shot may include joint and muscle pain, fatigue, physical weakness and general malaise.

As of 30 June 2008, out of over 16 million doses of Gardasil distributed in the United States, there have been 9,749 reports to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) following Gardasil vaccination. Gardasil has less than half the average percentage of serious reports. "It is important to note that a report to VAERS does not mean there is a connection between the vaccine and the event. It means the event took place following vaccination."[30] The FDA and CDC said that with millions of vaccinations “by chance alone some serious adverse effects and deaths” will occur in the time period following vaccination, but have nothing to do with the vaccine. Although at least 20 women who received the Gardasil vaccine have died, there is no evidence that deaths or serious outcomes were connected to the shot. Where information was available, the cause of death was explained by other factors. Likewise, although a small number of cases of Guillain-BarrĂ© Syndrome (GBS) have been reported following vaccination with Gardasil., there is no evidence linking GBS to the vaccine.
The FDA and CDC monitor events to see if there are patterns, or more serious events than would be expected from chance alone.

Long-term impact

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One unknown property of the vaccines now being researched is the persistence of their protective effects. Since the Gardasil vaccine has been administered for only a few years now, it is unknown whether it will provide life-long immunity to recipients. In coming decades, further study will answer this question.

Whether the effects are temporary or life-long, widespread vaccination could have a substantial public health impact. 270,000 women died of cervical cancer worldwide in 2002. Acting FDA Administrator Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach said the vaccine will have "a dramatic effect" on the health of women around the world.[34] Even in the United States, where screening programs are routine, the National Cancer Institute estimated that 9,700 women would develop cervical cancer in 2006, and 3,700 would die.

Merck and CSL Limited are expected to market Gardasil as a cancer vaccine, rather than an STD vaccine. It remains unclear how widespread the use of the three-shot series will be, in part because of its $360 list price ($120 each for three shots). Merck and CSL have also suggested that governments make vaccination with Gardasil mandatory for school attendance, which has upset some conservative groups and libertarian groups.[36][34][37] Many such groups also expressed fears that vaccination with Gardasil might give girls a false sense of security regarding sex and increase their level of promiscuity. According to the Cleveland Clinic, "Genital HPV is spread through direct skin-to-skin contact with someone who has an HPV infection. Contact includes vaginal, anal, and oral sex. Some types of HPV cause genital warts, which are hard, rough lumps that develop on the skin. Anyone who is sexually active can get HPV and genital warts." The types of HPV the vaccine treats are transmitted by sexual activity.
Both men and women are carriers of HPV. To eradicate these strains, males might eventually need to be vaccinated. Studies are being conducted now to determine the efficacy of vaccinating males with the current vaccine.

Cost effectiveness

Studies using different pharmacoeconomic models predict that vaccinating young women with Gardasil in combination with screening programs may be more cost effective than screening alone. These results have been important in decisions by many countries to start vaccination programs. For example the Canadian government approved $300 million to buy the HPV vaccine in 2008 after deciding from studies that the vaccine would be cost-effective especially by immunizing young women. Marc Steben, an investigator for the vaccine, wrote that the financial burden of HPV related cancers on the Canadian people was already $300 million per year in 2005, so the vaccine could reduce this burden and be cost-effective.

Since penile and anal cancers are much less common than cervical cancer, HPV vaccination of young men is likely to be much less cost-effective than for young women.

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Cervical cancer vaccine

What the human papilloma virus (HPV) is
There are over 100 different types of human papilloma virus (HPVs). It is sometimes called the ‘wart virus’ or ‘genital wart virus’ as some types of HPV cause genital warts. The virus is passed on from one person to another through sexual contact.

Many women will be infected with the HPV virus at some time during their lifetime. Often the virus causes no harm and goes away without treatment.
HPV and cancer
HPV can increase the risk of developing cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is cancer of the neck of the womb. About 3,000 women are diagnosed with this type of cancer every year in the UK. Most women infected with HPV don’t go on to develop cervical cancer. But for some, infection with HPV can go on to cause
  • Genital warts
  • Changes in the cervix, which may develop into a cancer
  • Changes in the vaginal tissues, which may develop into vaginal cancer

Of the different types of HPV, types 16 and 18 cause about 7 out of 10 (70%) cancers of the cervix. Most of the remaining 30% of cervical cancers are associated with other high risk HPV types. HPV types 6 and 11 cause genital warts but are less likely to cause cancer.


You can find out more about the risks and causes of cervical cancer in the cervical cancer section of CancerHelp UK. HPV is also a risk factor for other types of cancer including vaginal cancer, vulval cancer, anal cancer and cancer of the penis.

Research into vaccines to prevent HPV

Several research trials have tested vaccines as a way of preventing infection with HPV. A trial testing Gardasil called FUTURE II reported its results in October 2005. This phase 3 trial involved over 12,000 women aged between 16 and 26. These women did not have HPV before the start of the trial. The women were divided into two groups. Half the women were given Gardasil and the other half had a dummy vaccine (placebo). Both groups of women had 3 injections of either the vaccine or placebo over six months. Over the following two years the women had regular checks to see if they had got HPV, or had any precancerous changes to the cells of the cervix, which could develop into a cancer. The group who had the vaccine showed no precancerous changes. Of the 5,258 women who had the placebo, 21 had precancerous changes, which is 0.4%. The researchers found that Gardasil protected against HPV types 6 and 11, as well as 16 and 18.

Two other phase 3 trials have tested the vaccine Cervarix. The first was for women under 26 and closed in July 2005. It involved over 18,000 women from all over the world, including the UK. This study was called ‘PATRICIA’ (PApilloma TRIal to prevent Cervical cancer In young Adults). The second was for women of 26 and over, and closed in August 2006. On the basis of results from these trials, the European Commission has approved Cervarix for the prevention of precancerous changes in the cervix in girls and women between the age of 10 and 25.

The HPV vaccination programme

In the UK, girls in year 8 at school (aged 12 to 13) are offered the HPV vaccine. The vaccine the Government has chosen to use is Cervarix. Girls have three injections over 6 months given by a nurse. A letter about the vaccine and a consent form is sent to the parents of the girl before she has the vaccine. It is up to her whether she has the vaccine. A 2 year 'catch up' programme also started in Autumn 2008, to vaccinate girls aged between 13 and 18. The NHS immunisation website has more information about the vaccination programme and when girls in the catch up programme will be offered the vaccine.


It is also possible to have the vaccination privately. The cost for private treatment varies from doctor to doctor. We are hearing reports of about £500 being charged for a course of 3 injections.


This research means that if girls take up the vaccination the programme will prevent at least 7 out of 10 cancers of the cervix and possibly even more in the future. But it takes between 10 and 20 years for a cancer to develop after HPV infection. So any benefits in reducing cervical cancer won’t be seen for quite a long time. But the number of cases of pre-cancerous changes in the cervix (CIN) will fall quite rapidly.


It is not certain how long the vaccination gives protection for. So far the trials have followed people up for 6 years so we know that it lasts at least this long. More research is needed to find out how long it lasts and if women need a booster dose at some time.

Side effects of the vaccine

The side effects are usually mild and include

  • Headache
  • Aching muscles
  • Redness and soreness around the site of the injection
  • Fever
  • Feeling and being sick
  • Stomach pain
  • Diarrhoea
  • Itching, rash
  • Dizziness

Do we still need cervical cancer screening?

We'll still need the cervical screening programme in the UK, even after the vaccines become widely available. The vaccines don't prevent infection with all types of HPV. Also from the research so far, we don't think the vaccines will help prevent cervical cancer in women already infected with HPV. And it takes about 10 to 20 years after HPV infection for a cervical cancer to develop.

So it’s very important to remember that women will still need cervical cancer screening (smear tests) for many years to come. There is more information about cervical cancer screening in the cervical cancer section of CancerHelp UK.


A UK trial is planned to look at a vaccine to treat women already infected with HPV. You can find out more about the latest research into cervical cancer in the cervical cancer section of CancerHelp UK.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Preventing cervical HPV infection

Using a condom can help lower your risk of genital HPV but won’t prevent it completely. The virus can be spread through contact with the skin around the genital area, including contact with the vulva and the scrotum.
Vaccines are now available to prevent infection with types of HPV that can lead to cervical cancer. The Gardasil and Cervarix cervical cancer vaccines were licensed in the UK in 2007. These vaccines will help to prevent this type of cancer in the future.
All girls aged 12 or 13 in the UK are offered the cervical cancer vaccine. It is up to them and their parents whether they have it. In Autumn 2008 a catch up programme started in England to vaccinate girls between 13 and 18. Similar schemes are being introduced in other parts of the UK.
There is more information about the HPV vaccine in CancerHelp UK.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Precancerous changes (dysplasia) of the cervix.

Women who have evidence of moderate or severe precancerous changes in the uterine cervix require treatment to ensure that these cells do not progress to cancer. In this case, treatment usually involves surgical removal or destruction of the involved tissue. Conization is a procedure that removes the precancerous area of the cervix using a knife, a laser, or by a procedure known as LEEP (loop electrosurgical excision procedure, which uses an electric current passing through a thin wire that acts as a knife). LEEP is also referred to as LLETZ (large loop excision of the transformation zone). Cryotherapy (freezing) or laser therapy may also be used to destroy tissue areas that contain potentially precancerous changes.