Cancer Vaccine Approved
For Immediate Release: Jan. 30, 2014
Planned Parenthood Applauds FDA Approval of Gardasil; HPV Vaccine Is Crucial Step Forward for Women's Health
New York, NY — Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) commended today's action by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which approved the first vaccine against two types of human papilloma virus (HPV) that cause about 70 percent of cervical cancer cases.
"This is a huge step forward for women's health. Prevention is the key to good health, and this vaccine will give future generations the promise of health, safety and peace of mind," said PPFA President Cecile Richards. "Now we must move forward to educate the public about the vaccine and ensure it is available to all Americans, regardless of their income level."
Planned Parenthood provides more than 1,000,000 women with cancer screenings each year. This new vaccine will hopefully save lives.
"The HPV vaccine is a public health breakthrough," said Richards. "On behalf of the millions of women, men and teens Planned Parenthood serves every year, I thank the FDA for today's action."
Worldwide, cervical cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women. Each year approximately 10,000 cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed in the United States, and 4,000 American women die from the disease.