cervical cancer drug trial successful

Oct 2005 news

An experimental vaccine against the most common cause of cervical cancer was found to be 100% effective in trials, the American drugmaker Merck said yesterday. The company said the drug, Gardasil, blocks infection from strains of the human papilloma virus that cause 70% of cervical cancers.

More than 12,000 women took part in the trials. Half were given Gardasil and half a placebo. None who received the vaccine developed cervical cancer or pre-cancerous lesions in the following two years. Merck said the drug could be on the market next year. Its shares rose 6%.

prevention is always better than 'other methods'