FDA Panel Backs Cancer Vaccines

A Food and Drug Administration panel Wednesday backed a vaccine designed to protect against cervical cancer in women and endorsed expanded use of Gardasil for males to protect against genital warts. The vote amounts to a recommendation that the FDA approve the vaccine for use in females ages 10 to 25. The FDA usually follows its panels' advice but isn't required to do so. The agency could make a decision by Sept. 29. Cervarix is currently approved in about 100 countries outside the U.S. Merck is seeking FDA approval to expand Gardasil's use in males ages 9 to 26. Wall Street Journal