Women's Health News

The female hormone estrogen is considered to be a quasi-fuel for developing breast cancer. Now Virginia Tech College of Engineering researchers will use a $1.56 million grant from the National Institutes of Health’s National Cancer Institute to inhibit estrogen and fight the disease that affects approximately 192,000 newly diagnosed American women, killing an estimated 40,000 each year.
Cancer cells are not able to replicate as fast with forced inhibition of estrogen — known as endocrine therapy — in patients, said Jason Xuan, an electrical and computer engineering associate professor at Virginia Tech’s Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. This five-year project will focus on creating new computer models to find as yet unknown estrogen receptor-signaling networks to help women with resistance to this medical treatment.

“We will discover new knowledge of estrogen receptor-signaling and ultimately use this information to identify new therapeutic targets for drug discovery,” said Xuan, who also is associate director of Virginia Tech’s Computational Bioinformatics and Bioimaging Laboratory, located within the Advance Research Institute in Arlington, Va.

About 50 percent of all estrogen receptor-positive tumors are responsive at first presentation to antiestrogens, such as the drug tamoxifen. Yet many initially responsive tumors can become resistant to endocrine treatment, leading to likely tumor recurrence. “If it comes back, then we have no cure anymore,” said Xuan. “We cannot find a drug to battle a recurrence. That’s very troubling.”
We want to take a new look at how breast cancer is treated, but there is so much data and information, without the proper tools it is hard to understand the whole picture, Xuan said. The grant will provide the means to create innovative tools, the engineering feat, to tackle this medical problem.

This computer engineering project is a continuation of a Virginia Tech and Georgetown University Medical Center’s Center for Cancer Systems Biology that focuses on treating breast cancer. Started in 2010, the center seeks to develop more advanced and better targeted treatments for the disease.

Scientists at Virginia Tech already are contributing bioinformatic analysis for the enormous amount of data to be collected by Xuan and his graduate students for the computer modeling. Collaborating on the project is Yue Wang, the Grant A. Dove Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Tech.

Xuan hopes that newly developed computational methods will uncover estrogen receptor-signaling networks by integrating protein-protein interaction data and breast cancer gene expression data, thus spurring new research by biomedical engineers. Resulting new discoveries could lead to novel therapies and drugs to overcome endocrine resistance, thus bettering the chances of breast cancer patients against the disease, and cut that deadly 40,000 statistic drastically, Xuan said.

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Grappling with the risks and benefits of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is nothing new for postmenopausal women. Researchers have now added more fuel to the fire, with evidence that HRT could play a role in incontinence.

“Our main finding, which comes in particular from one huge trial, is that one type of HRT systemic conjugated equine estrogen (CEE) may make urinary incontinence worse,” said June Cody, a methodologist at the Cochrane Incontinence Review Group at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland.

“In addition, in this large trial, women who did not have incontinence at first were more likely to develop incontinence than those who took a placebo.”

In an updated systematic review in the upcoming issue of The Cochrane Library, Cody and colleagues also found that significantly more women who used local (vaginal) estrogen reported that their incontinence symptoms improved when compared to women who used a placebo. This result comes from small studies, however, which might have had limitations.

Millions of women experience incontinence an involuntary and embarrassing leakage of urine that can lead to social isolation and even stigma. There are several kinds of urinary incontinence, including stress and urge incontinence. Stress incontinence can occur when someone is coughing or sneezing, while urge incontinence occurs when one feels a sudden strong urge to urinate.

“The original (2003) Cochrane review on incontinence grouped women according to different types of incontinence stress, urge or mixed,” Cody said. “In this update, we rearranged things to look separately at local or systemic delivery. We then honed in on the different types of estrogen. When we looked at the research with CEE, it seemed to make all types of incontinence worse.”

The review appears in the current issue of The Cochrane Library, a publication of The Cochrane Collaboration, an international organization that evaluates research in all aspects of health care. Systematic reviews draw evidence-based conclusions about medical practice after considering both the content and quality of existing trials on a topic.

This systematic review of 33 randomized trials comprised 19,313 incontinent postmenopausal women. In the review as a whole, 9,417 women received estrogen systemically, from oral tablets, skin patches or subcutaneous implants. Another 735 women received estrogen locally by means of a vaginal cream, tablet, vaginal ring or other device. The studies included control groups of women who received a placebo or a different treatment. Half of the trials took place in the United States.

Cody said that the results of two trials, which included 17,642 women, dominated the findings. One study reported on a subset of women from the Women’s Health Initiative, which collected incontinence data on 23,296 women 16,117 of whom were incontinent. The second largest study included 1,525 women with incontinence.

The main purpose of the studies was to look at outcomes such as breast cancer, stroke, heart disease and bone fracture, but they also looked at incontinence. The findings of both studies were the same, whether women were taking estrogen alone, or estrogen and progestogen (for women with an intact uterus): Incontinence worsened for those using HRT with conjugated equine estrogen.

Curiously, smaller studies suggested that systemic estrogen helps incontinence, Cody said. Women in these trials, however, received different types of estrogen, such as estriol or estradiol but not CEE.

One-fourth of women on systemic estrogen reported vaginal bleeding and one-fifth reported breast tenderness during the trials.

The women in the largest study “were reportedly healthy, post-menopausal women and, on average, their incontinence got worse if they were allocated CEE. This is what the data show from a randomized trial the best level of evidence for comparing different interventions,” said Cody, who is also a member of the Academic Urology Unit at the University of Aberdeen.

Charla Blacker, M.D., of the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, who did not take part in the review, said that doctors should take note that the way estrogen therapy is administered by local estrogen therapy or systemic hormone treatments could make a difference in whether incontinence improves or gets worse.

“These findings should be discussed with women who are contemplating using estrogen or hormonal therapy for relief of menopausal symptoms, particularly those who already have incontinence symptoms,” Blacker said.

The Cochrane Library contains high quality health care information, including Systematic Reviews from The Cochrane Collaboration. These reviews bring together research on the effects of health care and are considered the gold standard for determining the relative effectiveness of different interventions. The Cochrane Collaboration is an international nonprofit, independent organization that produces and disseminates systematic reviews of health care interventions and promotes the search for evidence in the form of clinical trials and other studies of interventions.

Cody JD, et al. Oestrogen therapy for urinary incontinence in post-menopausal women. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2009, Issue 4.

Source: Health Behavior News Service

View drug information on Estradiol Transdermal System. Continue reading →

President Bush’s “moral objection” to human embryonic stem cell research is “hypocritical,” Michael Hadjiargyrou — an associate professor of biomedical engineering, genetics and orthopedics at Stony Brook University in New York — writes in a New York Times letter to the editor (Hadjiargyrou, New York Times, 4/17). Federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research is allowed only for research using embryonic stem cell lines created on or before Aug. 9, 2001, under a policy announced by Bush on that date. Bush has threatened to veto legislation (S 5), which passed the Senate last week, that would allow federal funding for research using stem cells derived from human embryos originally created for fertility treatments and willingly donated by patients. Bush has said that the bill “crosses a moral line that [he] and many others find troubling” (Kaiser Daily Women’s Health Policy Report, 4/12). Bush “had no problem starting and supporting a war that has caused the deaths of thousands and did not voice any objection to the death penalty when 131 prisoners were executed while he was governor of Texas,” Hadjiargyrou writes. He concludes that “in Bush’s ideological world, protecting laboratory-created cells is far more important than preserving the lives of the people who might be treated for diseases, disorders and trauma as a result of embryonic stem cell research” (New York Times, 4/17).

“Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved. Continue reading →

The following summarizes selected women’s health related videos.

 Health Reform’s Benefits for Women: In a new video from the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, actress Julianne Moore explains “what exactly … health reform mean[s] for women.” The law not only “extends health care coverage to tens of millions of women and families,” it “guarantees affordable access to life saving screenings for breast and cervical cancer” and “significantly increases access to reproductive health care, including family planning,” Moore says. The law also bans denying insurance coverage because of pre-existing conditions, such as breast cancer and pregnancy, and it ensures that “women will no longer be forced to pay more than men do for health insurance.” However, the law also includes “unfair restrictions on abortion coverage,” Moore says, adding, “Rest assured, Planned Parenthood will keep fighting to fix the abortion restrictions before they go into effect in 2014″ (Planned Parenthood Federation of America, 4/22).

 Oklahoma Antiabortion Laws: MSNBC’s “The Rachel Maddow Show” on Wednesday featured a discussion with Anita Fream — CEO of Planned Parenthood of Central Oklahoma — about two new antiabortion laws in Oklahoma, including one that requires women to undergo an ultrasound and listen to a description of the results while the image is turned in their direction. Fream noted that supporters of the legislation hope it will challenge Roe v. Wade, and she discussed how abortion restrictions affect women and providers (Maddow, “The Rachel Maddow Show,” MSNBC, 4/28). On Tuesday, NBC’s “Nightly News” also reported on the details of the two new laws, including the Legislature’s move to override Gov. Brad Henry’s vetoes (Williams, “Nightly News,” NBC, 4/27). In addition, a KWTV/CNN video highlighted reactions from state Sen. Todd Lamb (R), a spokesperson for Henry and Planned Parenthood’s Dana Stone (KWTV/CNN, 4/27).

 Early Breast Cancer: CBS News on Wednesday examined a new study that could provide new clues about how to determine which women will benefit from treatment for the earliest form of breast cancer, known as ductal carcinoma in situ. DCIS is not threatening in most women, many patients undergo extensive treatment because there is no way of which cases will become more severe. The study showed that women who tested positive for three genetic makers were much more likely to develop invasive breast than women who tested negative for all three markers (LaPook, CBS News, 4/28).

Reprinted with kind permission from nationalpartnership. You can view the entire Daily Women’s Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women’s Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.

© 2010 The Advisory Board Company. All rights reserved.

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Is your mascara clumpy? Your liquid foundation thickening? Can’t remember what year you bought your half-used lipstick? Dermatologists say your old makeup may be causing you blemishes or even worse it could lead to a dangerous infection.

“Most women do have a drawer full of cosmetics that have been partially used,” says Angela Bowers, M.D., dermatologist on the medical staff at Baylor Regional Medical Center at Grapevine.

Those old makeup containers may be full of more than just powder, they could be harboring dangerous bacteria. So how do you know when to throw them out?

“It’s difficult to know because cosmetics usually don’t include expiration dates,” adds Dr. Bowers.

Experts say you should go by when you first opened the makeup. Eye make-ups and liquid foundations last the least amount of time and should be tossed out after just three months.

“The bacteria can get in there and the preservatives might not be working quite as well as they were when you first opened it. If you get some of that in your eye you may develop conjuctivitus which we know as ‘pink-eye,’” explains Dr. Bowers.

Powders and foundations opened more than a year ago can also cause problems.

“Some women may develop a peri-oral dermatitis from using some old, expired makeup that might irritate the skin and cause little red bumps that look like acne,” adds Dr. Bowers.

In addition to makeup, makeup applicators should be replaced regularly as well.

“If you use sponges to apply makeup, you should replace those at least once a week,” says Dr. Bowers.

It may be painful for most women to throw out expensive products, but not doing so could hurt worse.

“If you end up in the doctor’s office with an infection, all those savings are negated. You always want to have a clean face with some good, fresh product on there,” adds Dr. Bowers.

Also, sharing lipsticks is another way that makeup can cause health problems. Sharing lipsticks, lip glosses or lip balms with someone who may have a strain of the herpes virus could leave you with cold sores of your own. Remember, people can harbor this particular virus on their lips without having an active cold sore so it will not always be visible.

If makeup looks old or changes texture is it a good idea to throw it out?

Yes, experts even advise to smell your makeup. An unusual odor usually means that it contains bacteria.

For more information about Baylor Regional Medical Center at Grapevine, visit BaylorHealth.

Baylor Health Care System
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Lipitor has been the top-selling drug in the world and has accounted for over $12 billion in annual sales. It has been prescribed to both men and women to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in patients with common risk factors for heart disease. However, a new study appearing in the Journal of Empirical Legal Studies was unable to find high quality clinical evidence documenting reduced heart attack risk for women in a primary prevention context. Furthermore, advertising omits label information relevant to women.

Theodore Eisenberg of Cornell Law School and Martin T. Wells of Cornell University assembled studies for a meta analysis of drugs’ effects on cardiovascular risk, taking into account all relevant studies reporting risks for both men and women.

Not one of the studies that included women with a mixture of risk factors for heart attacks provided statistically significant support for prescribing Lipitor or other statins to protect against cardiovascular problems. Pfizer’s claims of clinical proof that Lipitor reduces risk of heart attack in patients with multiple risk factors for heart disease does not appear to be scientifically supported for large segments of the female population.

In addition, Lipitor’s advertising repeatedly fails to report that clinical trials were statistically significant for men but not for women. Unqualified advertising claims of protection against heart attacks may therefore be misleading. Pfizer’s advertising also does not disclose critical portions of the Lipitor FDA-approved label, which acknowledges the absence of evidence with respect to women.

“Our findings indicate that each year, reasonably healthy women spend billions of dollars on drugs in the hope of preventing heart attacks but that scientific evidence supporting their hope does not exist,” the authors conclude.

This study is published in the September 2008 issue of the Journal of Empirical Legal Studies.

Theodore Eisenberg is affiliated with Cornell Law School.

Journal of Empirical Legal Studies (JELS) fills a gap in the legal and social science literature that has often left scholars, lawyers, and policymakers without basic knowledge of legal systems. Always timely and provocative, studies published in JELS have been covered in leading news outlets such as the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Economist, Forbes Magazine, the Financial Times, and USA Today.

Source: Amy Molnar

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Women’s relationships with other women played an important role in the peasant society of the 18th and 19th centuries. The women lived, worked and gossiped together, and felt a sense of belonging and responsibility in this community. A new thesis from the University of Gothenburg (Sweden) reveals that these communities also served as a breeding ground for women’s power.

Previous research on women has often focused on their position relative to men from various perspectives. Women’s relationships with each other, and the importance of these relationships for society as a whole, have seldom been studied, which is why the thesis Women worlds and infanticide is plugging an important gap.

Helena Hagelin’s research takes infanticide and women’s roles in connection with it as its starting point. By studying 197 cases from the Gothenburg archives and the G?¶ta court of appeal in 1700-1840 she has been able to show that women were far from powerless, and that the key to women’s influence in society is to be found in the groups of women she calls women worlds in her thesis.

“Women’s relationships with each other – women worlds – were important in bringing them together and giving them both power and responsibility,” says Hagelin.. “My investigation focused on the responsibility that these groups took in the context of exposing out-of-wedlock pregnancies and infanticide.”

One of the conclusions drawn in the thesis is that women could wield power and that women worlds played an important role in the local community. Telling the truth was one way of maintaining women’s position in society.

The credibility of women is evident not least from the fact that they were frequently called as witnesses in the district courts, and that considerable importance was attached to their witness statements. They accounted for more than half of all witnesses, and an even higher percentage in terms of useful testimony.

“I hope that the thesis will give people more of an insight into what life was like for women in the past,” says Hagelin. “My results could challenge the notion of powerlessness. I don’t by any means believe that women had the same power as men, but my research shows that they were able to shape their lives in some ways, and also the community they lived in.”

Title of thesis: Women worlds and infanticide. Power, responsibility and collectivity in court records from 1700-1840.

Source:
Helena Hagelin

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A study just published by the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology confirms that birth by cesarean increases risks of two life threatening problems in future pregnancies. The conditions, called placenta abruption and placenta previa, involve the way the placenta attaches to the inner lining of the uterus.

In a cesarean birth a surgical incision is made in the uterus causing a permanent scar. This scarring of the uterine muscle can affect the way the placenta attaches to the uterus in future pregnancies.

Placenta abruption is the premature separation of all or part of the placenta prior to the birth of the child. This decreases the baby’s oxygen supply and can cause blood loss in the mother, baby or both. If the abruption involves a large enough area, emergency cesarean birth may be required to save the life of mother and baby. Abruptions can occur anytime in pregnancy, even when the baby is still premature, further increasing danger to the newborn.

Placenta previa is abnormal growth of the placenta over all or part of the uterus’ natural opening to birth canal, or cervix. This causes damage to the placenta and severe blood loss during labor. Bleeding is also more likely to occur before labor and without warning. Women with placenta previa always require cesarean delivery prior to labor.

It is not fully understood why scars on the uterus cause these problems. Several studies in recent years have confirmed the connection between cesareans and abnormal placental attachment. The new study is one of the first to confirm a direct relation ship between the number of surgeries and the amount of risk. By reviewing over 150,000 first, second and third pregnancies, it found the risk of both complications rising as the number of surgeries increased.

Together these two problems complicate about 60,000, or 1-2 percent, of pregnancies in the U.S. yearly. In addition to cesareans, factors such as cigarette smoking, cocaine use and maternal age have also been associated with the disorders. But cesarean section is the most common surgery performed in the U.S. and has risen sharply in recent years. Since 1970 the percentage of mothers giving birth by cesarean has risen from 5% to 29% in 2003. Contrary to expectation, this has not resulted in safer births or healthier patients. Complications from the surgery are expected to grow as it becomes more common.

Other risks associated with cesarean birth are rupturing the scar in future pregnancies, increased rates of infection and blood loss, more breathing problems in newborns, less successful breastfeeding, longer healing time, longer hospital stays and more hospital re admissions.

Yet obstetricians the world over are ambivalent about cesarean birth. In surveys form the U.S., Europe, Canada, and South America, upwards of 50% of practicing OB/Gyns favor even more liberal use of cesareans. Some feel more protection against lawsuits with cesareans. Others point out that normal vaginal births also have risk, and some perceive consumer demand for “patient choice” cesarean. Recent surveys of American women find the public demand for medically unnecessary cesarean at less than 1 percent. Professional organizations tend to focus on the difference between accommodating true patient demand and creating demand, and upon accurate presentation of risk. The new study adds to the argument that unnecessary cesarean should be avoided, since the procedure creates risk in future pregnancies, and most women who have children have more than one, whether planned or not.

Also debated is whether women should be encouraged or even permitted to attempt a normal birth once a cesarean has been preformed. Recent research has suggested that vaginal birth after cesarean, or VBAC, carries risks of rupturing the old scar, another potentially life threatening complication. The new study suggests that VBAC may be beneficial if more pregnancies are planned, or if plans are uncertain.

By Patrick Thornton, CNM

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Sedgwick County, Kan., District Judge Anthony Powell on Friday recused himself from a case involving abortion provider George Tiller, who has been charged with 19 misdemeanors for allegedly violating a state law that requires an independent, consulting physician to approve some late-term abortions, the AP/Lawrence Journal-World reports (Hegeman, AP/Lawrence Journal-World, 8/18).

State Attorney General Paul Morrison (D) in June filed charges alleging that Tiller, who owns Women’s Health Care Services in Wichita, Kan., received a second opinion from physician Ann Kristin Neuhaus before performing 19 late-term abortions in 2003. Morrison said Neuhaus had financial ties with Tiller. A 1998 Kansas law says that before an abortion of a fetus of 21 weeks’ gestation or more, two physicians must determine if continuation of a pregnancy will lead to death or “substantial and irreversible” harm to a “major bodily function.” Consulting physicians cannot have legal or financial ties to abortion providers. Tiller’s attorneys have entered a not guilty plea to the alleged misdemeanors and filed a motion to dismiss the charges. If convicted, Tiller could face up to one year in jail and a $2,500 fine for each of the 19 misdemeanor charges.

Sedgwick County Chief Criminal Judge Gregory Waller earlier this month assigned Tiller’s case to Powell, who served as a Republican state legislator from 1995 to 2002. Powell voted regularly for restrictions on abortion laws, including a 1998 law restricting late-term abortions. Powell in 1998 said Tiller was “defying legal and moral authority” by performing late-term abortions. Attorneys representing Tiller last week filed a motion asking that the case be assigned to another judge (Kaiser Daily Women’s Health Policy Report, 8/15). Powell on Friday sent the case back to Waller to appoint another judge, the AP/Journal-World reports.

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Powell said he removed himself from the case to avoid the appearance of impropriety. “In a high-profile case such as this where the judiciary is on trial as much as the defendant, even a hint of impropriety or even the slightest appearance of partiality must be dealt with to protect our system of justice,” Powell said. He added that he wanted to make it clear that he was not removing himself from the case because of his views on abortion rights or involvement in the 1998 statute. “If having pro-life views would be grounds for recusal, having pro-choice views would be equal grounds for recusal,” Powell added.

Tiller attorney Lee Thompson said Powell’s decision is appropriate. Ashley Anstaett, a spokesperson for Morrison, said the attorney general’s office was not allowed to take a position on the recusal in court. Anstaett said that Morrison’s office is “not surprised” with the decision, adding, “This will not influence our case or how we go forward” (AP/Lawrence Journal-World, 8/18).

“Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved. Continue reading →

A new vaccine aimed at preventing cervical cancer is nearly 100 percent effective against the two types of the human papillomavirus (HPV) responsible for most cases of cervical cancer – strains 16 and 18. Results of an international meta-analysis study of the vaccine are published in the June 1 issue of the journal Lancet.

In the current and largest study to date, researchers combined and analyzed the data from four randomized trials that involved 20,583 women ages 15 to 26 from more than two dozen countries across Europe, North America, Latin America and Asia. Participants were randomly assigned to receive the HPV vaccine or placebo and followed for an average of three years.

Researchers found that the prophylactic administration of the vaccine was highly effective in preventing pre-malignant changes of the cervix, also known as cervical dysplasia.

“This is a much larger combined study that shows 99 percent efficacy, a clear reduction of pre-cancerous cervical lesions. We demonstrated significant protection against serious HPV-related diseases, including high-grade cervical pre-cancers, in women not previously exposed to the relevant HPV types targeted by the vaccine,” says Kevin Ault, MD, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Emory University School of Medicine, one of the authors of the study and a key researcher in the development of the vaccine.

HPV strains 16 and 18 are responsible for about 70 percent of all cases of cervical cancer. In clinical trials the vaccine, manufactured by Merck under the name Gardasil, also demonstrated a high efficacy rate in protection from HPV types 6 and 11, which together cause about 90 percent of all cases of genital warts. All four types cause a large number of abnormal Pap test results and low-grade cervical lesions.

Cervical cancer is the second most common cause of cancer deaths in women worldwide, accounting for about 240,000 deaths each year. In 2007 experts predict cervical cancer will strike an estimated 11,000 women in the United States and nearly half a million women worldwide. Every day in the United States ten women die from cervical cancer, says Dr. Ault.

“Thanks to the results of this meta-analysis and a previous publication in Lancet, we now have data on three more rare cancers — adenocarcinomas in situ of the cervix, as well as vulvar and vaginal cancer. All these female cancers are caused by HPV and can be successfully prevented with the HPV vaccine.”

According to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) more than 20 million men and women in the United States are infected with HPV, and more than six million new infections are reported each year, making it the most common sexually transmitted disease in the nation.

“Nearly all sexually active people are going to get exposed to the virus sometime during their lives,” says Dr. Ault. For most people, HPV causes no complications and goes away on its own. However, in some cases, if left untreated, certain high-risk types of HPV can lead to cervical cancer.

“The goal of the study was to see if we could prevent precancerous cases and the results of this combined analysis show near 99 percent effectiveness. Everyone who gets cancer goes through a pre-cancerous stage,” says Dr. Ault. “There are about 50 to 60 million pap smears performed each year in the United States, and about seven percent are abnormal. We spend about 3 billion dollars each year to find and treat these pre-cancerous stages caused by some type of HPV.”

Gardasil was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last year for use in females 9 to 26 years of age. While controversy has been raised about giving pre-adolescent girls a vaccine for a sexually transmitted disease, Dr. Ault argues, “young women, young girls make very good immune responses to this vaccine, so that will enhance their protection. Widespread immunization with the HPV vaccine along with continued screening will help decrease the burden of cervical cancer and other HPV-related diseases,” he says.

Contact: Juliette Merchant

Emory University

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