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Wednesday, 24 April 2024

Saturday, 29 July 2006 09:12

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Boost for cervical cancer

A vaccine that could prevent cervical cancer is ready to be made available in months, the manufacturers said yesterday.

The drug Gardasil, which works against the virus linked to cervical and other cancers, has been given the all-clear by the European Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use.

Makers Sanofi Pasteur MSD said the verdict means full EC permission to market Gardasil should be just two months off.

The injection, which makers hope could soon be available in schools, is designed for use by children as young as nine as well as young women.

It acts against four separate types of the human papilloma virus which can cause cervical cancer as well as cervical and genital lesions, genital warts and other potentially cancer-causing lesions.

Mike Watson, executive director clinical and epidemiology Europe at Sanofi Pasteur, said: "We are today on the brink of a world and life-changing breakthrough in the fight against cancer through vaccination”.