The Success of a Vaccine - Essay Example

Every drug or vaccine is approved by higher drug authorities like that of FDA. Still, it is observed all over the world, and is the fact that many drugs have side effects others have adverse effects and few have toxic effects. Generally the success of a

A drug or vaccine is determined against the criteria that how is the drug effective in curing a particular disease and how many adverse effects it has.

Not to mention, it has been reported that the vaccine will not protect against or treat infections in women who have already had infections with HPV -16, -18, -6, and/or -11. FDA Administrator Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach said the vaccine will have "a dramatic effect" on the health of women around the world.
This vaccine is supposed to have a lot of side effects as well. A few incidents in the past have raised concerns regarding this vaccine. As of 22 May 2007, 7 Victorian schoolgirls from Sacred Heart Girls' College were briefly hospitalized after receiving an injection of the Gardasil vaccine and were taken to the Monash Medical Centre. One was temporarily paralyzed. Health authorities do not believe that these are directly related to the vaccine.

Talking about major concerns, the first concern is that Gardasil may result in an increased number of cases of a cancer precursor among patients who are already infected by one of the four targeted HPV types when they're given the vaccine; and whose immune systems haven't eliminated the virus from their bodies, the AP reported.
Secondly, any advantage provided by the vaccine in protecting against the four targeted HPV types could be offset by infection by the numerous other HPV types that aren't affected by the vaccine. Australian biotech and healthcare company CSL announced recently that the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC), which issues recommendations on drug subsidization in Australia, has rejected the company’s funding application for the cervical cancer vaccine Gardasil (human papillomavirus). The decision is the first of its kind, in the very country where the vaccine was invented and developed. It follows a series of successful applications for funding in other markets by CSL’s global licensing partner Merck & Co (U.S.). amongst people.

Though very effective and well popular amongst people, it has been observed that it has quite several side effects which create a few concerns. Read More