Lead author Anna Glasier of the Family Planning and Well Woman Services at Dean Terrace Centre in Edinburgh, Scotland, and colleagues followed about 1,700 women ages 16 through 36 who received either ellaOne or Plan B within three to five days of having unprotected sex. The study found that there were 22 pregnancies in the group that received levonorgestrel, compared with 15 in the group that received the newer drug. Overall, women who took ulipristal acetate had a 1.8% chance of becoming pregnant, compared with a 2.6% chance among the women who took levonorgestrel. The newer pill appeared to work consistently for up to five days, whereas levonorgestrel decreases in effectiveness over time.
Glasier said that the different ingredients in the two pills might be one reason for the discrepancy. Plan B contains synthetic progesterone and mimics the effects of the natural hormone by interfering with the ovulation as the egg develops, whereas the newer EC pill delays ovulation, according to the AP/USA Today.
Glasier said that more safety data are needed before the new drug can be recommended for over-the-counter use. She estimated that ellaOne costs about three times more than Plan B. The study was designed and funded by HRA Pharma, which produced ellaOne.
Health officials said women should still act quickly to prevent an unintended pregnancy. "The message has to be always that women should act as soon as possible," Tony Kerridge, a spokesperson for Marie Stopes International, said. He added, "You may think you have a window of opportunity, but as soon as you can, go somewhere and get it sorted [out]" (AP/USA Today, 1/28).
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.
четверг, 29 марта 2012 г.
New Emergency Contraceptive Prevents Pregnancy Up To Five Days, Study Finds
A study published Friday in the British medical journal Lancet found that a new type of emergency contraception, ulipristal acetate, appears to be more effective for a longer time than the most widely used form of EC, levonorgestrel, the AP/USA Today reports. The new EC pill -- available by prescription in Europe under the brand name ellaOne -- prevented pregnancy for up to five days in the study. Levonorgestrel -- sold as Levonelle and Plan B in the U.S. and more than 140 other countries -- can be taken for up to three days.
четверг, 22 марта 2012 г.
Latest US Policy In Iraq Can Lead To Human Rights Abuses Says Hebrew University Researcher
U.S. policy in Iraq courting tribal leaders may be yielding positive results in combating al-Qaida and stabilizing the country, but may also be repeating British policy of the previous century which led to severe human rights abuses, particularly against women, says a researcher at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
In an article being released in conjunction with Human Rights Week, now being marked around the world, Dr. Noga Efrati, head of the Iraq research group at the Hebrew University's Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace, reviews British tribal policy in Iraq from 1914-1932, during which Britain first occupied the country and then (from 1920) ruled it under mandate authority. Her article on the subject appears in a new book, Britain and the Middle East, to be published later this month
The British, who came to Iraq during the First World War in order to defend their interests in the region, sought to revive a disintegrating tribal system in order to control the vast rural areas of the country. To accomplish this, they appointed sheikhs as tribal leaders, granting them wide discretionary powers, including the settling of disputes via "tribal law." This had an adverse effect particularly on women.
"Under the British mandate, rural women - the majority of women in Iraq - were not constructed as citizens of a modern state whose rights and liberties should be protected, but as tribal possessions, abandoned and left outside state jurisdiction," Dr. Efrati writes in her article. Among other things, this meant that women could be offered in marriage to settle disputes or be forced to marry within their family. Even more serious was that the state had essentially legitimized "honor" murders.
The British maintained a "blind eye" toward these customs even though they were incompatible with both Islamic and Iraqi criminal law. "Tribal justice" could not be undermined lest it weaken the powers of the sheikhs who were serving British interests. Only in 1958, with the overthrow of the "old regime," was the tribal justice system annulled. Even so, these practices did not disappear entirely and even achieved renewed recognition under Saddam Hussein, notes Dr. Efrati.
Like the British of yesterday, the Americans today are increasingly depending on local leaders to restore order. However, in its effort to break the Sunni insurgency, stabilize the country and bring about political progress, the Bush Administration should learn from the mistakes of its predecessors, says Dr. Efrati, and be aware of the severe consequences that will arise by leaving the administration of "tribal" affairs in the hands of local leaders. If women are again to become "tribal property" this will be yet another strike against their human rights; the very rights the U.S. set out to defend when it went to war.
Source: Jerry Barach
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
In an article being released in conjunction with Human Rights Week, now being marked around the world, Dr. Noga Efrati, head of the Iraq research group at the Hebrew University's Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace, reviews British tribal policy in Iraq from 1914-1932, during which Britain first occupied the country and then (from 1920) ruled it under mandate authority. Her article on the subject appears in a new book, Britain and the Middle East, to be published later this month
The British, who came to Iraq during the First World War in order to defend their interests in the region, sought to revive a disintegrating tribal system in order to control the vast rural areas of the country. To accomplish this, they appointed sheikhs as tribal leaders, granting them wide discretionary powers, including the settling of disputes via "tribal law." This had an adverse effect particularly on women.
"Under the British mandate, rural women - the majority of women in Iraq - were not constructed as citizens of a modern state whose rights and liberties should be protected, but as tribal possessions, abandoned and left outside state jurisdiction," Dr. Efrati writes in her article. Among other things, this meant that women could be offered in marriage to settle disputes or be forced to marry within their family. Even more serious was that the state had essentially legitimized "honor" murders.
The British maintained a "blind eye" toward these customs even though they were incompatible with both Islamic and Iraqi criminal law. "Tribal justice" could not be undermined lest it weaken the powers of the sheikhs who were serving British interests. Only in 1958, with the overthrow of the "old regime," was the tribal justice system annulled. Even so, these practices did not disappear entirely and even achieved renewed recognition under Saddam Hussein, notes Dr. Efrati.
Like the British of yesterday, the Americans today are increasingly depending on local leaders to restore order. However, in its effort to break the Sunni insurgency, stabilize the country and bring about political progress, the Bush Administration should learn from the mistakes of its predecessors, says Dr. Efrati, and be aware of the severe consequences that will arise by leaving the administration of "tribal" affairs in the hands of local leaders. If women are again to become "tribal property" this will be yet another strike against their human rights; the very rights the U.S. set out to defend when it went to war.
Source: Jerry Barach
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
четверг, 15 марта 2012 г.
High Levels Of Testosterone Increases Appetite For Risk In Women; High Levels Connected To Choice Of Riskier Careers
The battle of the sexes rages on, this time from the trading floor. While there has long been debate about the social and biological differences between men and women, new research by the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and the University of Chicago's Department of Comparative Human Development explores how the hormone testosterone plays an important role in gender differences in financial risk aversion and career choice.
Prior research has shown that testosterone enhances competitiveness and dominance, reduces fear, and is associated with risky behaviors like gambling and alcohol use. However, until now, the impact of testosterone on gender differences in financial risk-taking has not been explored.
The new paper, "Gender differences in financial risk aversion and career choices are affected by testosterone," has been published in the Aug. 24, 2009 early edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). The research was conducted by Paola Sapienza, Associate Professor, Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University; Luigi Zingales, Robert McCormick Professor, University of Chicago Booth School of Business; and Dario Maestripieri, Professor in Comparative Human Development, University of Chicago.
"In general, women are more risk averse than men when it comes to making important financial decisions, which in turn can affect their career choices," said Sapienza. "For example, in our sample set, 36 percent of female MBA students chose high-risk financial careers such as investment banking or trading, compared to 57 percent of male students. We wanted to explore whether these gender differences are related to testosterone, which men have, on average, in higher concentrations than women."
The researchers, using an economic-based measure of risk aversion, found that higher levels of testosterone were associated with a greater appetite for risk in women, but not among men. However, in men and women with similar levels of testosterone, the gender difference in risk aversion disappeared. Additionally, the researchers reported that the link between risk aversion and testosterone predicted career choices after graduation: individuals who were high in testosterone and low in risk aversion chose riskier careers in finance.
"This is the first study showing that gender differences in financial risk aversion have a biological basis, and that differences in testosterone levels between individuals can affect important aspects of economic behavior and career decisions," said Maestripieri. "That the effects of testosterone on risk aversion are strongest for individuals with low or intermediate levels of this hormone is similar to what has been shown for the effects of testosterone on spatial cognition."
To investigate the relationship between testosterone and risk aversion, the authors measured testosterone levels in saliva samples (as well as markers of prenatal testosterone such as finger length) from approximately 500 MBA students at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
The uncharacteristically large sample which was global in demographic scope was familiar with financial risk by virtue of their education, and many pursued financial careers after business school. Also, the participants were relatively homogeneous in age, cultural and educational background, and socioeconomic status, thereby minimizing the effects of other non-biological variables.
As part of a mandatory MBA course, the students were asked to participate in a laboratory experiment to measure the relationship between risk and hormonal levels. Over two days in October 2006, the participants were asked to play a computer game that evaluated their risk aversion attitudes. They answered a series of questions that asked them to choose between accepting a guaranteed monetary award or choosing a risky lottery with a higher potential payout. Students had to choose repeatedly between the lottery and a fixed payment at increasing values. Two saliva samples were collected, once before the session and once after the test was completed, to measure hormonal changes over that time period.
As expected, more risk-prone participants chose the lottery more often, whereas more risk-averse individuals preferred the guaranteed payout. Overall, men exhibited significantly lower risk aversion than women in the study, and also had significantly higher levels of salivary testosterone than women.
"This study has significant implications for how the effects of testosterone could impact actual risk-taking in financial markets, because many of these students will go on to become major players in the financial world," said Zingales. "Furthermore, it could shed some light on gender differences in career choices. Future studies should further explore the mechanisms through which testosterone affects the brain."
Source: University of Chicago
Prior research has shown that testosterone enhances competitiveness and dominance, reduces fear, and is associated with risky behaviors like gambling and alcohol use. However, until now, the impact of testosterone on gender differences in financial risk-taking has not been explored.
The new paper, "Gender differences in financial risk aversion and career choices are affected by testosterone," has been published in the Aug. 24, 2009 early edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). The research was conducted by Paola Sapienza, Associate Professor, Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University; Luigi Zingales, Robert McCormick Professor, University of Chicago Booth School of Business; and Dario Maestripieri, Professor in Comparative Human Development, University of Chicago.
"In general, women are more risk averse than men when it comes to making important financial decisions, which in turn can affect their career choices," said Sapienza. "For example, in our sample set, 36 percent of female MBA students chose high-risk financial careers such as investment banking or trading, compared to 57 percent of male students. We wanted to explore whether these gender differences are related to testosterone, which men have, on average, in higher concentrations than women."
The researchers, using an economic-based measure of risk aversion, found that higher levels of testosterone were associated with a greater appetite for risk in women, but not among men. However, in men and women with similar levels of testosterone, the gender difference in risk aversion disappeared. Additionally, the researchers reported that the link between risk aversion and testosterone predicted career choices after graduation: individuals who were high in testosterone and low in risk aversion chose riskier careers in finance.
"This is the first study showing that gender differences in financial risk aversion have a biological basis, and that differences in testosterone levels between individuals can affect important aspects of economic behavior and career decisions," said Maestripieri. "That the effects of testosterone on risk aversion are strongest for individuals with low or intermediate levels of this hormone is similar to what has been shown for the effects of testosterone on spatial cognition."
To investigate the relationship between testosterone and risk aversion, the authors measured testosterone levels in saliva samples (as well as markers of prenatal testosterone such as finger length) from approximately 500 MBA students at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
The uncharacteristically large sample which was global in demographic scope was familiar with financial risk by virtue of their education, and many pursued financial careers after business school. Also, the participants were relatively homogeneous in age, cultural and educational background, and socioeconomic status, thereby minimizing the effects of other non-biological variables.
As part of a mandatory MBA course, the students were asked to participate in a laboratory experiment to measure the relationship between risk and hormonal levels. Over two days in October 2006, the participants were asked to play a computer game that evaluated their risk aversion attitudes. They answered a series of questions that asked them to choose between accepting a guaranteed monetary award or choosing a risky lottery with a higher potential payout. Students had to choose repeatedly between the lottery and a fixed payment at increasing values. Two saliva samples were collected, once before the session and once after the test was completed, to measure hormonal changes over that time period.
As expected, more risk-prone participants chose the lottery more often, whereas more risk-averse individuals preferred the guaranteed payout. Overall, men exhibited significantly lower risk aversion than women in the study, and also had significantly higher levels of salivary testosterone than women.
"This study has significant implications for how the effects of testosterone could impact actual risk-taking in financial markets, because many of these students will go on to become major players in the financial world," said Zingales. "Furthermore, it could shed some light on gender differences in career choices. Future studies should further explore the mechanisms through which testosterone affects the brain."
Source: University of Chicago
четверг, 8 марта 2012 г.
High Efficacy Of Gardasil® Leads Independent Data And Safety Monitoring Board To Recommend Urgent Vaccination Of Young Women In Placebo Group
In the light of the high efficacy of Gardasil® observed in the large clinical trials, FUTURE I and II, the independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) of these studies recommended that women in the placebo group should be vaccinated with Gardasil®. The DSMB recommended that the studies should be terminated as soon as feasible in order to provide the benefits of vaccination with Gardasil® to these women rapidly.
Gardasil®, Human Papillomavirus Vaccine [types 6,11,16,18] (Recombinant, adsorbed), is the only licensed vaccine for the prevention of cervical cancer and other Human Papillomavirus diseases that occur before cervical cancer and beyond the cervix.
In clinical trials, including FUTURE I and II, Gardasil® prevented up to 100% of cervical cancer, precancerous and potentially precancerous cervical lesions, precancerous vulval and vaginal lesions, and genital warts due to Human Papillomavirus virus types 6, 11, 16 and 18.1,, a), b)
It is estimated that Human Papillomavirus types 6, 11, 16 and 18 together cause 75% of cervical cancer,4 70% of precancerous5,6 and 50% of potentially precancerous cervical lesions7, a significant proportion vulval and vaginal cancers and their associated precancerous lesions8,,,91011, and 90% of genital warts in Europe.12,13
"I can more than understand that the board felt the responsibility not to leave these women unprotected. To be able to prevent Human Papillomavirus-related cervical cancer and their pre-cancerous stages as well as other Human Papillomavirus-related lower genital tract pre-cancerous lesions and infections so effectively, hardly allows any other conclusion. Young women are at the age of maximal exposure to the virus. Even though some years exist between infection and cancer development, prevention should start at this time so as to prevent later complications inherent in diagnostic and treatment procedures.", comments Albert Singer, Professor of Gynaecological Research, University of London, United Kingdom.
In Europe, vaccination of women in the placebo groups of the FUTURE I and II studies has already begun in study centres in Germany, Sweden, Denmark and Austria. In other countries, vaccination will start within the next days or weeks. In the United Kingdom, vaccination starts today. In total, approximately 4,300 women are anticipated to be vaccinated in European study centres, with the objective of completing before the end of the year 2007. In a similar way, vaccination of almost 4,500 women in many other countries around the world, including the United States, Australia and Canada, has begun or is anticipated to begin soon.
Gardasil® licence applications have been filed in 120 countries and approved in 55 countries (all under accelerated review timelines), including the European Union, the United States, Canada and Australia.
In addition to the women in the placebo group of the FUTURE I and II studies, women in the vaccine group of these studies who have either received less than three doses of Gardasil® or the monovalent precursor of Gardasil® instead of Gardasil® should also complete vaccination with Gardasil®. The monovalent precursor of Gardasil® targets only the Human Papillomavirus type 16 whereas Gardasil® targets the Human Papillomavirus types 6, 11, 16 and 18.
Current recommendation and funding of Human Papillomavirus vaccination
Just four months after gaining a licence in the European Union, Gardasil® is now available in 15 European countries. Accelerated discussions are under way in most European countries to integrate Human Papillomavirus vaccination in each country's recommendation and reimbursement programme.
As of 1 January 2007 vaccination is recommended in Austria for girls and boys aged 9 to 15 years as well as for women, preferably before the start of sexual activity.
In Germany, decisions are anticipated soon. Since early December 2006, several statutory health insurance funds in Germany, which together cover half of the population, have announced immediate and full reimbursement of Human Papillomavirus vaccination for females even before any recommendations by the authorities have been published. Other funds are anticipated to follow soon.
The French health minister has announced recommendations for March 2007 and reimbursement by the national social security system by July 2007 the latest. Since October 2006, three large private health insurance funds in France have announced immediate partial reimbursement of Human Papillomavirus vaccination also even before any recommendations by the authorities have been published.
The Italian Health Minister has recently announced that Italy will have a vaccination programme with Gardasil® next spring actively proposed of the young girls 12 years old.
In Spain, the region Navarra has recently announced the vaccination of young girls (aged 12 or 13 years) as soon as Gardasil® becomes available. The opportunity to add a catch-up vaccination programme for females >12 or 13 years and/or vaccination of boys will be investigated.
In Sweden, the first county has recently announced to offer Gardasil® girls and women even before the decision of the national health authorities.
Some Belgian health insurance funds have announced partial reimbursement of Human Papillomavirus vaccination before any recommendations by the authorities have been published.
Four Dutch health insurance funds have announced in December 2006 to completely reimburse Human Papillomavirus vaccination for females aged 9 to 26 years and males aged 9 to 15 years as of January 2007.
In the UK, the Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisations (JCVI) have said they will meet to make a decision about a recommendation in early 2007.
In June 2006, the US health authorities recommended the routine vaccination of 11 and 12 year old females and the vaccination of females aged 13 to 26 who have not previously been vaccinated and that 9 and 10 year old females can be vaccinated at the discretion of their physicians. Pap and Human Papillomavirus screening prior to vaccination are not necessary according to the recommendation. The US authorities also recommended that females can receive Gardasil® regardless of whether they have or previously had an abnormal Pap test, a positive Human Papillomavirus test or genital warts. In the meantime, health insurers covering approximately 94% of privately insured lives in the US have decided to reimburse Gardasil®. In November, the authorities added Gardasil® to their Vaccines for Children (VFC) contract for girls and women aged 9 to 18 years.
In November 2006, the Australian government announced the funding of Gardasil® for girls and women aged 12 to 26 years from 2007. Gardasil® will be put on the national immunisation programme for 12 to 13 year old girls to be delivered through schools. The government will also fund a two year catch-up programme for 13 to 18 year old girls in schools and 18 to 26 year old women to be delivered through general practitioners.
As of 15th February 2007, Gardasil® is recommended in Canada for females aged 9 to 26 years. Females who had previous Pap abnormalities including cervical cancer or have had genital warts or known Human Papillomavirus infection would still benefit from Gardasil according to the recommendations of the Canadian authorities.
EU indication of Gardasil®
According to the licence in the EU, Gardasil®, Human Papillomavirus Vaccine [types 6,11,16,18] (Recombinant, adsorbed), can be given to children and adolescents 9 to15 years and adult females aged 16 to 26 years and is indicated for the prevention of cervical carcinoma (cervical cancer), high grade cervical dysplasia CIN2/3 (precancerous cervical lesions), high grade vulvar dysplastic lesions VIN 2/3 (precancerous vulvar lesions) and external genital warts (condyloma acuminata) caused by Human Papillomavirus types 6, 11, 16 and 18.
Cervical Cancer and other HPV diseases before Cervical Cancer and beyond the Cervix
Despite screening for early detection, cervical cancer remains the second most common cause of death from cancer (after breast cancer) among young women (15-44 years) in Europe.,14 In Europe, approximately 33,500 women are diagnosed with, and 15,000 women die from cervical cancer each year (40/day or nearly 2/hour).15 Hundreds of thousands of women are diagnosed with cervical, vulval or vaginal precancerous lesions. Genital warts are a growing problem.
It is estimated that Human Papillomavirus types 16 and 18 cause 25,000 new cases of cervical cancer each year in Europe4, 15and 1,900 new cases of vulval and vaginal cancer.8,9,16
It is estimated that types 16 and 18 cause 112,000 new cases of precancerous cervical lesions (CIN2/3)5,, 617and 24,000 new cases of precancerous vulval and vaginal lesions (VIN2/3 and VaIN2/3) each year in Europe.8,9,,,,, 1011161819It is estimated that types 6,11,16 and 18 cause 280,000 cases of potentially precancerous cervical lesions (CIN1) each year in Europe.7,,1718 Types 6, 11, 16 and 18 also cause 225,000 new cases of genital warts each year in Europe in women.12
More about Gardasil®
Gardasil® has been developed by Merck & Co., Inc. and Sanofi Pasteur MSD. In Europe, the vaccine is marketed by Sanofi Pasteur MSD.
Merck is actively working to accelerate the availability of Gardasil® in the developing world. Clinical trials for the development of Gardasil® have already included participants from 33 countries on 5 continents in a variety of settings. In December 2005, Merck and the Indian Council of Medical Research announced a collaboration to study Gardasil® in populations in India. Clinical trials in developing world countries are being initiated this year to assess the efficacy of Gardasil® in other environments; first studies are underway in Africa. In June 2006, PATH announced the launch of a 5-year effort to help bring HPV vaccines to those nations where cervical cancer rates are highest. PATH selected Uganda, Peru, India & Vietnam to participate in this project. Merck is committed to provide Gardasil® to support PATH in this effort. Upon completion of the study in India, the two partners will work together to assess the public health role of Gardasil® in the population of India and to identify ways of providing access to Gardasil®. Merck will make our new vaccines, including Gardasil®, available at dramatically lower prices to developing world countries. gardasil
About Sanofi Pasteur MSD
Sanofi Pasteur MSD is a joint venture between sanofi pasteur, the vaccine division of sanofi-aventis, and Merck & Co., Inc. Combining innovation and expertise, Sanofi Pasteur MSD is the only company in Europe dedicated exclusively to vaccines. Sanofi Pasteur MSD is able to draw on the research expertise of sanofi pasteur and Merck & Co., Inc., together with their teams throughout the world, to focus on the development of new vaccines for Europe, which aim to extend protection to other diseases and perfect existing vaccines in order to improve the acceptability, efficacy and tolerability of vaccination.
Clinical study details
a) Gardasil® efficacy was assessed in 4 placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized Phase II and III clinical studies. The first phase II study evaluated the Human Papillomavirus 16 component of Gardasil® (Protocol 005, N=2391) and the second evaluated all components of Gardasil® (Protocol 007, N=551). The Phase III studies evaluated Gardasil® in 5,442 (FUTURE I or Protocol 013) and 12,157 (FUTURE II or Protocol 015) subjects. Together, these 4 studies evaluated 20,541 women 16 to 26 years of age at enrolment who received in three studies 3 injections of the quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus (types 6, 11, 16, 18) vaccine at day 1, month 2 and month 6 of the study and in one study women received 3 injections of the monovalent Human Papillomavirus (type 16) at day 1, month 2 and month 6 of the study. At specific pre-determined times during the study the women were examined and tests carried out for the presence of Human Papillomavirus and cervical lesions. The median duration of follow-up was 4.0, 3.0, 2.4, and 2.0 years for Protocol 005, Protocol 007, FUTURE I, and FUTURE II, respectively.
b) 18,150 women (16-26 yrs) from the Americas, Europe and Asia were enrolled in 1 of 3 trials (protocol 007, FUTURE I, FUTURE II). Subjects were randomised to either quadrivalent HPV (Types 6, 11, 16, 18) L1 VLP vaccine or placebo. For all trials, vaccination occurred at day 1, and months 2 and 6. Genital tract specimens were obtained at day 1 and at 6-12 month intervals thereafter for a maximum of 48 months. Colposcopy referral was algorithm-based. Biopsies were HPV-typed. Cytology, histology, and HPV detection were conducted centrally. Analyses were done per protocol (PP) (subjects received 3 doses, had no major protocol violations, were HPV 16 or 18 seronegative at day 1 and HPV 16 or 18 DNA negative day 1 through month 7, n=15,513) and modified intention to treat (MITT) (received ?‰?1 dose and were HPV 16 or 18 negative at Day 1 by serology and DNA). Endpoint counts began after Month 7 and day 30 in the PP and MITT analyses, respectively.
Gardasil® prevented 100% of precancerous cervical lesions (high grade, CIN2/3) related to Human Papillomavirus types 16 and 18.
Gardasil® prevented 100% of precancerous vulval lesions (VIN2/3) and 100% of precancerous vaginal lesions (VaIN2/3) related to Human Papillomavirus types 16 and 18.
Gardasil® prevented 100% of potentially pre-cancerous cervical lesions (low grade, CIN1) related to Human Papillomavirus types 6,11,16,18 in Future I study in which cervical lesions of all grades (CIN1 to CIN3) were a co-primary endpoint and 93.1% efficacy in the combined analysis of grouped clinical studies .
Gardasil® prevented 100% of genital warts related to Human Papillomavirus types 6,11,16,18 in Future I study where external genital lesions were a co- primary endpoint and 98.9% efficacy in the combined analysis of grouped clinical studies.
References
1 Skjeldestad FE and Koutsky L for the Merck Phase III HPV Vaccine Steering Committee (FUTURE II). Phase III trial of prophylactic quadrivalent HPV 6, 11, 16, 18 L1 virus-like particle vaccine: Prevention of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2/3 including adeno- and squamous-cell carcinoma in situ (CIS). Abstract presented at the Infectious Diseases Society of America. 7 October 2005. San Francisco, USA.
2 Ferris D for FUTURE I investigators. Efficacy of a prophylactic quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus (HPV) (types 6, 11, 16, 18) L1 virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine for prevention of precancerous cervical dysplasia and external genital lesions (EGL). Abtract presented at the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC). 16-19 September 2005. Washington DC, USA.
3 Joura EA et al. High sustained efficacy of a quadrivalent HPV (types 6/11/16/18) L1 virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine against vaginal and vulvar pre-cancerous lesions: a combined analysis, Oral presentation and abstract, 18th International Congress on Anti Cancer Treatment, Paris, France, 7th February 2007.
4 Clifford GM, Smith JS, Plummer M et al. Human Papillomavirus types in invasive cervical cancer worldwide: A meta-analysis. Br J Cancer 2003:88:63-73.
5 Clifford GM, Smith JS, Aguado T et al. Comparison of HPV type distribution in high-grade cervical lesions and cervical cancer: A meta-analysis. Br J Cancer 2003;89101-105.
6 Sotlar K, Diemer D, Dethleffs A et al. Detection and typing of Human Papillomavirus by E6 nested multiplex PCR. J Clin Microbiol 2004;42:3176-3184.
7 Clifford GM, Rana RK, Franceschi S et al. Human Papillomavirus genotype distribution in low-grade cervical lesions: Comparison by geographic region and with cervical cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2005;14:1157-1164.
8 Daling JR, Madeleine MM, Schwartz SM et al. A population-based study of squamous cell vaginal cancer: HPV and cofactors. Gynecol Oncol 2002;84:263-270.
9 Madeleine MM, Daling JR, Carter JJ et al. Cofactors with Human Papillomavirus in a population-based study of vulvar cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst 1997;89:1516-1523.
10 van Beurden M, ten Kate FJW, Smits HL et al. Multifocal intraepithelial neoplasia grade III and multicentric lower genital tract neoplasia is associated with transcriptionally active Human Papillomavirus. Cancer 1995;75:2879-2884.
11 Hording U, Junge J, Poulson H et al. Vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia III: A viral disease of undetermined progressive potential. Gynecol Oncol 1995;56:276-279.
12 Wieland U, Pfister H. papillomaviruses in human pathology: Epidemiology, pathogenesis and oncologic role.In:Gross,Barasso EDS.Human Papillomavirus Infection:A clinical atlas.Ullstein Mosby1997;p1-18.
13 Von Krogh G. Management of anogenital warts (condylomata acuminata). Eur J Dermatol 2001;11:598-603.
14 Ferlay J, Bray F, Pisani P et al, editors. Globocan 2000: Cancer incidence, mortality and prevalence worldwide. IARC Cancer Base No.5. version 1.0. IARC Press, Lyon 2001.
15 Ferlay J, Bray F, Pisani P et al, editors. Globocan 2002: Cancer incidence, mortality and prevalence worldwide. IARC Cancer Base No.5. version 2.0. IARC Press, Lyon 2004.
16 Parkin DM, Whelan SL, Ferlay J et al. Cancer incidence in five continents (GIS). Volume VIII. p606-611.
17 Insinga RP, Glass AG and Rush BB. Diagnoses and outcomes in cervical cancer screening: A population-based study. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2004;191:105-113.
18 Dodge JA, Eltabbakh GH, Mount SL et al. Clinical features and risk of recurrence among patients with vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia. Gynecol Oncol 2001;83:363-369.
19 Jones RW. Vulval intraepithelial neoplasia: Current perspectives. Eur J Gynaecol Oncol 2001;22:393-402.
20 UK Health Protection Agency. CDR Weekly 2003;3(44)
gardasil
View drug information on Gardasil.
Gardasil®, Human Papillomavirus Vaccine [types 6,11,16,18] (Recombinant, adsorbed), is the only licensed vaccine for the prevention of cervical cancer and other Human Papillomavirus diseases that occur before cervical cancer and beyond the cervix.
In clinical trials, including FUTURE I and II, Gardasil® prevented up to 100% of cervical cancer, precancerous and potentially precancerous cervical lesions, precancerous vulval and vaginal lesions, and genital warts due to Human Papillomavirus virus types 6, 11, 16 and 18.1,, a), b)
It is estimated that Human Papillomavirus types 6, 11, 16 and 18 together cause 75% of cervical cancer,4 70% of precancerous5,6 and 50% of potentially precancerous cervical lesions7, a significant proportion vulval and vaginal cancers and their associated precancerous lesions8,,,91011, and 90% of genital warts in Europe.12,13
"I can more than understand that the board felt the responsibility not to leave these women unprotected. To be able to prevent Human Papillomavirus-related cervical cancer and their pre-cancerous stages as well as other Human Papillomavirus-related lower genital tract pre-cancerous lesions and infections so effectively, hardly allows any other conclusion. Young women are at the age of maximal exposure to the virus. Even though some years exist between infection and cancer development, prevention should start at this time so as to prevent later complications inherent in diagnostic and treatment procedures.", comments Albert Singer, Professor of Gynaecological Research, University of London, United Kingdom.
In Europe, vaccination of women in the placebo groups of the FUTURE I and II studies has already begun in study centres in Germany, Sweden, Denmark and Austria. In other countries, vaccination will start within the next days or weeks. In the United Kingdom, vaccination starts today. In total, approximately 4,300 women are anticipated to be vaccinated in European study centres, with the objective of completing before the end of the year 2007. In a similar way, vaccination of almost 4,500 women in many other countries around the world, including the United States, Australia and Canada, has begun or is anticipated to begin soon.
Gardasil® licence applications have been filed in 120 countries and approved in 55 countries (all under accelerated review timelines), including the European Union, the United States, Canada and Australia.
In addition to the women in the placebo group of the FUTURE I and II studies, women in the vaccine group of these studies who have either received less than three doses of Gardasil® or the monovalent precursor of Gardasil® instead of Gardasil® should also complete vaccination with Gardasil®. The monovalent precursor of Gardasil® targets only the Human Papillomavirus type 16 whereas Gardasil® targets the Human Papillomavirus types 6, 11, 16 and 18.
Current recommendation and funding of Human Papillomavirus vaccination
Just four months after gaining a licence in the European Union, Gardasil® is now available in 15 European countries. Accelerated discussions are under way in most European countries to integrate Human Papillomavirus vaccination in each country's recommendation and reimbursement programme.
As of 1 January 2007 vaccination is recommended in Austria for girls and boys aged 9 to 15 years as well as for women, preferably before the start of sexual activity.
In Germany, decisions are anticipated soon. Since early December 2006, several statutory health insurance funds in Germany, which together cover half of the population, have announced immediate and full reimbursement of Human Papillomavirus vaccination for females even before any recommendations by the authorities have been published. Other funds are anticipated to follow soon.
The French health minister has announced recommendations for March 2007 and reimbursement by the national social security system by July 2007 the latest. Since October 2006, three large private health insurance funds in France have announced immediate partial reimbursement of Human Papillomavirus vaccination also even before any recommendations by the authorities have been published.
The Italian Health Minister has recently announced that Italy will have a vaccination programme with Gardasil® next spring actively proposed of the young girls 12 years old.
In Spain, the region Navarra has recently announced the vaccination of young girls (aged 12 or 13 years) as soon as Gardasil® becomes available. The opportunity to add a catch-up vaccination programme for females >12 or 13 years and/or vaccination of boys will be investigated.
In Sweden, the first county has recently announced to offer Gardasil® girls and women even before the decision of the national health authorities.
Some Belgian health insurance funds have announced partial reimbursement of Human Papillomavirus vaccination before any recommendations by the authorities have been published.
Four Dutch health insurance funds have announced in December 2006 to completely reimburse Human Papillomavirus vaccination for females aged 9 to 26 years and males aged 9 to 15 years as of January 2007.
In the UK, the Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisations (JCVI) have said they will meet to make a decision about a recommendation in early 2007.
In June 2006, the US health authorities recommended the routine vaccination of 11 and 12 year old females and the vaccination of females aged 13 to 26 who have not previously been vaccinated and that 9 and 10 year old females can be vaccinated at the discretion of their physicians. Pap and Human Papillomavirus screening prior to vaccination are not necessary according to the recommendation. The US authorities also recommended that females can receive Gardasil® regardless of whether they have or previously had an abnormal Pap test, a positive Human Papillomavirus test or genital warts. In the meantime, health insurers covering approximately 94% of privately insured lives in the US have decided to reimburse Gardasil®. In November, the authorities added Gardasil® to their Vaccines for Children (VFC) contract for girls and women aged 9 to 18 years.
In November 2006, the Australian government announced the funding of Gardasil® for girls and women aged 12 to 26 years from 2007. Gardasil® will be put on the national immunisation programme for 12 to 13 year old girls to be delivered through schools. The government will also fund a two year catch-up programme for 13 to 18 year old girls in schools and 18 to 26 year old women to be delivered through general practitioners.
As of 15th February 2007, Gardasil® is recommended in Canada for females aged 9 to 26 years. Females who had previous Pap abnormalities including cervical cancer or have had genital warts or known Human Papillomavirus infection would still benefit from Gardasil according to the recommendations of the Canadian authorities.
EU indication of Gardasil®
According to the licence in the EU, Gardasil®, Human Papillomavirus Vaccine [types 6,11,16,18] (Recombinant, adsorbed), can be given to children and adolescents 9 to15 years and adult females aged 16 to 26 years and is indicated for the prevention of cervical carcinoma (cervical cancer), high grade cervical dysplasia CIN2/3 (precancerous cervical lesions), high grade vulvar dysplastic lesions VIN 2/3 (precancerous vulvar lesions) and external genital warts (condyloma acuminata) caused by Human Papillomavirus types 6, 11, 16 and 18.
Cervical Cancer and other HPV diseases before Cervical Cancer and beyond the Cervix
Despite screening for early detection, cervical cancer remains the second most common cause of death from cancer (after breast cancer) among young women (15-44 years) in Europe.,14 In Europe, approximately 33,500 women are diagnosed with, and 15,000 women die from cervical cancer each year (40/day or nearly 2/hour).15 Hundreds of thousands of women are diagnosed with cervical, vulval or vaginal precancerous lesions. Genital warts are a growing problem.
It is estimated that Human Papillomavirus types 16 and 18 cause 25,000 new cases of cervical cancer each year in Europe4, 15and 1,900 new cases of vulval and vaginal cancer.8,9,16
It is estimated that types 16 and 18 cause 112,000 new cases of precancerous cervical lesions (CIN2/3)5,, 617and 24,000 new cases of precancerous vulval and vaginal lesions (VIN2/3 and VaIN2/3) each year in Europe.8,9,,,,, 1011161819It is estimated that types 6,11,16 and 18 cause 280,000 cases of potentially precancerous cervical lesions (CIN1) each year in Europe.7,,1718 Types 6, 11, 16 and 18 also cause 225,000 new cases of genital warts each year in Europe in women.12
More about Gardasil®
Gardasil® has been developed by Merck & Co., Inc. and Sanofi Pasteur MSD. In Europe, the vaccine is marketed by Sanofi Pasteur MSD.
Merck is actively working to accelerate the availability of Gardasil® in the developing world. Clinical trials for the development of Gardasil® have already included participants from 33 countries on 5 continents in a variety of settings. In December 2005, Merck and the Indian Council of Medical Research announced a collaboration to study Gardasil® in populations in India. Clinical trials in developing world countries are being initiated this year to assess the efficacy of Gardasil® in other environments; first studies are underway in Africa. In June 2006, PATH announced the launch of a 5-year effort to help bring HPV vaccines to those nations where cervical cancer rates are highest. PATH selected Uganda, Peru, India & Vietnam to participate in this project. Merck is committed to provide Gardasil® to support PATH in this effort. Upon completion of the study in India, the two partners will work together to assess the public health role of Gardasil® in the population of India and to identify ways of providing access to Gardasil®. Merck will make our new vaccines, including Gardasil®, available at dramatically lower prices to developing world countries. gardasil
About Sanofi Pasteur MSD
Sanofi Pasteur MSD is a joint venture between sanofi pasteur, the vaccine division of sanofi-aventis, and Merck & Co., Inc. Combining innovation and expertise, Sanofi Pasteur MSD is the only company in Europe dedicated exclusively to vaccines. Sanofi Pasteur MSD is able to draw on the research expertise of sanofi pasteur and Merck & Co., Inc., together with their teams throughout the world, to focus on the development of new vaccines for Europe, which aim to extend protection to other diseases and perfect existing vaccines in order to improve the acceptability, efficacy and tolerability of vaccination.
Clinical study details
a) Gardasil® efficacy was assessed in 4 placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized Phase II and III clinical studies. The first phase II study evaluated the Human Papillomavirus 16 component of Gardasil® (Protocol 005, N=2391) and the second evaluated all components of Gardasil® (Protocol 007, N=551). The Phase III studies evaluated Gardasil® in 5,442 (FUTURE I or Protocol 013) and 12,157 (FUTURE II or Protocol 015) subjects. Together, these 4 studies evaluated 20,541 women 16 to 26 years of age at enrolment who received in three studies 3 injections of the quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus (types 6, 11, 16, 18) vaccine at day 1, month 2 and month 6 of the study and in one study women received 3 injections of the monovalent Human Papillomavirus (type 16) at day 1, month 2 and month 6 of the study. At specific pre-determined times during the study the women were examined and tests carried out for the presence of Human Papillomavirus and cervical lesions. The median duration of follow-up was 4.0, 3.0, 2.4, and 2.0 years for Protocol 005, Protocol 007, FUTURE I, and FUTURE II, respectively.
b) 18,150 women (16-26 yrs) from the Americas, Europe and Asia were enrolled in 1 of 3 trials (protocol 007, FUTURE I, FUTURE II). Subjects were randomised to either quadrivalent HPV (Types 6, 11, 16, 18) L1 VLP vaccine or placebo. For all trials, vaccination occurred at day 1, and months 2 and 6. Genital tract specimens were obtained at day 1 and at 6-12 month intervals thereafter for a maximum of 48 months. Colposcopy referral was algorithm-based. Biopsies were HPV-typed. Cytology, histology, and HPV detection were conducted centrally. Analyses were done per protocol (PP) (subjects received 3 doses, had no major protocol violations, were HPV 16 or 18 seronegative at day 1 and HPV 16 or 18 DNA negative day 1 through month 7, n=15,513) and modified intention to treat (MITT) (received ?‰?1 dose and were HPV 16 or 18 negative at Day 1 by serology and DNA). Endpoint counts began after Month 7 and day 30 in the PP and MITT analyses, respectively.
Gardasil® prevented 100% of precancerous cervical lesions (high grade, CIN2/3) related to Human Papillomavirus types 16 and 18.
Gardasil® prevented 100% of precancerous vulval lesions (VIN2/3) and 100% of precancerous vaginal lesions (VaIN2/3) related to Human Papillomavirus types 16 and 18.
Gardasil® prevented 100% of potentially pre-cancerous cervical lesions (low grade, CIN1) related to Human Papillomavirus types 6,11,16,18 in Future I study in which cervical lesions of all grades (CIN1 to CIN3) were a co-primary endpoint and 93.1% efficacy in the combined analysis of grouped clinical studies .
Gardasil® prevented 100% of genital warts related to Human Papillomavirus types 6,11,16,18 in Future I study where external genital lesions were a co- primary endpoint and 98.9% efficacy in the combined analysis of grouped clinical studies.
References
1 Skjeldestad FE and Koutsky L for the Merck Phase III HPV Vaccine Steering Committee (FUTURE II). Phase III trial of prophylactic quadrivalent HPV 6, 11, 16, 18 L1 virus-like particle vaccine: Prevention of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2/3 including adeno- and squamous-cell carcinoma in situ (CIS). Abstract presented at the Infectious Diseases Society of America. 7 October 2005. San Francisco, USA.
2 Ferris D for FUTURE I investigators. Efficacy of a prophylactic quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus (HPV) (types 6, 11, 16, 18) L1 virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine for prevention of precancerous cervical dysplasia and external genital lesions (EGL). Abtract presented at the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC). 16-19 September 2005. Washington DC, USA.
3 Joura EA et al. High sustained efficacy of a quadrivalent HPV (types 6/11/16/18) L1 virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine against vaginal and vulvar pre-cancerous lesions: a combined analysis, Oral presentation and abstract, 18th International Congress on Anti Cancer Treatment, Paris, France, 7th February 2007.
4 Clifford GM, Smith JS, Plummer M et al. Human Papillomavirus types in invasive cervical cancer worldwide: A meta-analysis. Br J Cancer 2003:88:63-73.
5 Clifford GM, Smith JS, Aguado T et al. Comparison of HPV type distribution in high-grade cervical lesions and cervical cancer: A meta-analysis. Br J Cancer 2003;89101-105.
6 Sotlar K, Diemer D, Dethleffs A et al. Detection and typing of Human Papillomavirus by E6 nested multiplex PCR. J Clin Microbiol 2004;42:3176-3184.
7 Clifford GM, Rana RK, Franceschi S et al. Human Papillomavirus genotype distribution in low-grade cervical lesions: Comparison by geographic region and with cervical cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2005;14:1157-1164.
8 Daling JR, Madeleine MM, Schwartz SM et al. A population-based study of squamous cell vaginal cancer: HPV and cofactors. Gynecol Oncol 2002;84:263-270.
9 Madeleine MM, Daling JR, Carter JJ et al. Cofactors with Human Papillomavirus in a population-based study of vulvar cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst 1997;89:1516-1523.
10 van Beurden M, ten Kate FJW, Smits HL et al. Multifocal intraepithelial neoplasia grade III and multicentric lower genital tract neoplasia is associated with transcriptionally active Human Papillomavirus. Cancer 1995;75:2879-2884.
11 Hording U, Junge J, Poulson H et al. Vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia III: A viral disease of undetermined progressive potential. Gynecol Oncol 1995;56:276-279.
12 Wieland U, Pfister H. papillomaviruses in human pathology: Epidemiology, pathogenesis and oncologic role.In:Gross,Barasso EDS.Human Papillomavirus Infection:A clinical atlas.Ullstein Mosby1997;p1-18.
13 Von Krogh G. Management of anogenital warts (condylomata acuminata). Eur J Dermatol 2001;11:598-603.
14 Ferlay J, Bray F, Pisani P et al, editors. Globocan 2000: Cancer incidence, mortality and prevalence worldwide. IARC Cancer Base No.5. version 1.0. IARC Press, Lyon 2001.
15 Ferlay J, Bray F, Pisani P et al, editors. Globocan 2002: Cancer incidence, mortality and prevalence worldwide. IARC Cancer Base No.5. version 2.0. IARC Press, Lyon 2004.
16 Parkin DM, Whelan SL, Ferlay J et al. Cancer incidence in five continents (GIS). Volume VIII. p606-611.
17 Insinga RP, Glass AG and Rush BB. Diagnoses and outcomes in cervical cancer screening: A population-based study. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2004;191:105-113.
18 Dodge JA, Eltabbakh GH, Mount SL et al. Clinical features and risk of recurrence among patients with vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia. Gynecol Oncol 2001;83:363-369.
19 Jones RW. Vulval intraepithelial neoplasia: Current perspectives. Eur J Gynaecol Oncol 2001;22:393-402.
20 UK Health Protection Agency. CDR Weekly 2003;3(44)
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четверг, 1 марта 2012 г.
Fox, CBS Reject Trojan Condom-Promotion Commercial, New York Times Reports
Fox and CBS recently rejected a television commercial for Trojan condoms, the New York Times reports. According to the Times, the commercial, which premiered Monday night, features women at a bar surrounded by pigs. When one pig goes to the restroom and returns with a condom purchased at a vending machine, he is transformed into an attractive man. The end of the commercial carries the message: "Evolve: Use a condom every time."
Fox in a letter to Trojan said it rejected the ad because contraceptive "advertising must stress health-related uses rather than the prevention of pregnancy." CBS in a rejection wrote that the ad was not "appropriate" for the network "even with late-night only restrictions."
Both networks accepted Trojan's previous campaign, which promoted condom use because of the possibility that a partner could be HIV-positive. The Times cites a 2001 report about condom advertising from the Kaiser Family Foundation that found some "networks draw a strong line between messages about disease prevention -- which may be allowed -- and those about pregnancy prevention, which may be considered controversial for religious and moral reasons."
The ad will run on ABC, NBC and nine cable stations, including MTV, Comedy Central and Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. In addition, print ads will appear in 11 magazines, including Cosmopolitan and Glamour, and on seven Web sites. All of the ads highlight a Web site trojanevolve, the Times reports.
Jim Daniels, vice president for marketing at Trojan, said the ad is more expensive than any previous campaigns, but he declined to give a specific amount. Daniels said the company's goal is to "dramatically increase" condom use in the U.S. "The 'Evolve' ad does a nice job of being humorous, but it's also a serious call to action," Daniels said, adding, "The pigs are a symbol of irresponsible sexual behavior and are juxtaposed with the condom as a responsible symbol of respect for oneself and one's partner" (Newman, New York Times, 6/18).
NPR's "Morning Edition" on Monday reported on not-for-profit social marketing groups that promote and distribute condoms in Ethiopia. Andy Piller, manager the social marketing group DKT International, said annual condom distribution in Ethiopia has increased from about 250,000 when the group launched in 1991 to about 75 million to 80 million today. However, only 5% of Ethiopians say they use condoms, "Morning Edition" reports. DKT and similar groups use marketing techniques -- such as scented condoms, billboards and television ads -- to encourage condom use. Sally Cowal, senior vice president of the social marketing group Population Services International, said the organization sells condoms rather than providing them at no cost because people are more likely to use products for which they have paid (Wilson, "Morning Edition," NPR, 6/18). Audio of the segment and expanded NPR coverage are available online.
"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.
Fox in a letter to Trojan said it rejected the ad because contraceptive "advertising must stress health-related uses rather than the prevention of pregnancy." CBS in a rejection wrote that the ad was not "appropriate" for the network "even with late-night only restrictions."
Both networks accepted Trojan's previous campaign, which promoted condom use because of the possibility that a partner could be HIV-positive. The Times cites a 2001 report about condom advertising from the Kaiser Family Foundation that found some "networks draw a strong line between messages about disease prevention -- which may be allowed -- and those about pregnancy prevention, which may be considered controversial for religious and moral reasons."
The ad will run on ABC, NBC and nine cable stations, including MTV, Comedy Central and Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. In addition, print ads will appear in 11 magazines, including Cosmopolitan and Glamour, and on seven Web sites. All of the ads highlight a Web site trojanevolve, the Times reports.
Jim Daniels, vice president for marketing at Trojan, said the ad is more expensive than any previous campaigns, but he declined to give a specific amount. Daniels said the company's goal is to "dramatically increase" condom use in the U.S. "The 'Evolve' ad does a nice job of being humorous, but it's also a serious call to action," Daniels said, adding, "The pigs are a symbol of irresponsible sexual behavior and are juxtaposed with the condom as a responsible symbol of respect for oneself and one's partner" (Newman, New York Times, 6/18).
NPR's "Morning Edition" on Monday reported on not-for-profit social marketing groups that promote and distribute condoms in Ethiopia. Andy Piller, manager the social marketing group DKT International, said annual condom distribution in Ethiopia has increased from about 250,000 when the group launched in 1991 to about 75 million to 80 million today. However, only 5% of Ethiopians say they use condoms, "Morning Edition" reports. DKT and similar groups use marketing techniques -- such as scented condoms, billboards and television ads -- to encourage condom use. Sally Cowal, senior vice president of the social marketing group Population Services International, said the organization sells condoms rather than providing them at no cost because people are more likely to use products for which they have paid (Wilson, "Morning Edition," NPR, 6/18). Audio of the segment and expanded NPR coverage are available online.
"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.
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