Safety of Merck & Co's Gardasil confirmed, but marketing questioned

US drug major Merck & co's new vaccine against 4 types of human papillomavirus (HPV), Gardasil, like other immunizations appears to be a cost-effective intervention with the potential to enhance both adolescent health and the quality of their adult lives, say researchers Sheila Rothman, of Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, who co-authored the article with her husband, David Rothman of the school's Center for Society and Medicine, writing in the Journal of the American Medical Association on August 19.

However, the messages and the methods by which the vaccine was marketed present important challenges to physician practice and medical professionalism, they say. By making the vaccine's target disease cervical cancer, the sexual transmission of HPV was minimized, the threat of cervical cancer to adolescents was maximized, and the subpopulations most at risk practically ignored.

The vaccine manufacturer also provided educational grants to professional medical associations (PMAs) concerned with adolescent and women's health and oncology. The funding encouraged many PMAs to create educational programs and product-specific speakers' bureaus to promote vaccine use, the researchers note. However, much of the material did not address the full complexity of the issues surrounding the vaccine and did not provide balanced recommendations on risks and benefits. As important and appropriate as it is for PMAs to advocate for vaccination as a public good, their recommendations must be consistent with appropriate and cost-effective use, they argue.