Vaccine 100% effective against cervical cancer

A new investigational vaccine has proven to be 100 percent effective in preventing high-grade cervical pre-cancers and noninvasive cervical cancers associated with certain types of the human papillomavirus, according to a press release.

The vaccine, Gardasil, which was developed by Merck, is being tested on more than 12,000 women in 33 countries, according to a press release.

The study, titled Future II, is a randomized, placebo-controlled study with two vaccination groups. Women between the ages of 16 and 26 were chosen to receive a three-regimen dose of either Gardasil or a placebo during a period of six months, according to a press release.

The initial analysis found that women who received the three doses of Gardasil had no major "protocol violations" and remained free of HPV 16 and 18 throughout the course of the study. They remained 100 percent free of cervical pre-cancers and non-invasive cervical cancers associated with HPV types 16 and 18 at 17 months after the end of the study, according to a press release.

Gardasil was developed to target HPV types 16 and 18, which account for 70 percent of cervical cancers, and HPV types 6 and 11, which account for 90 percent of genital warts, according to a press release.

­- Ariel Serafin

Pie-throwing fundraiser starts today Student Affiliates of the American Chemical Society is having its annual "Pie in the face" fundraiser starting today in front of the Old Chemistry building from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Participants can pay 10 cents for one point or $1 for 11 points, and they can give those points to either faculty, staff, teaching assistants, graduate students or undergraduate students. When the fundraiser ends Oct. 21, the person with the most points will be "pied" at a free barbecue held by the department of chemistry in the courtyard of the Old Chemistry building from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Questions can be referred to Saiid Barker at saiid23@email.arizona.edu.