Gardasil May Be Effective for Males
Merck announced the results of a clinical trial that indicated Gardasil’s efficacy in preventing HPV-related genital warts and other lesions without any serious safety concerns.
According a report by The Associated Press, the trial involved 4,000 males between the ages of 16 and 26, and the vaccine was 90 percent effective in preventing external genital lesions.
At least 50 percent of sexually active men and women acquire genital HPV infection at some point in their lives, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
About 20 million Americans are currently infected with HPV, and another 6.2 million people become infected each year.
Merck intends to apply to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to license the vaccine for use in males.
It isn’t clear from the reports if the advisory committee will recommend broad use of the vaccine in males.

Teen drinkers face greater health risks
An Australian study found teen drinkers having their first full drink of alcohol by age 15, which could put them at greater risk for dependence and mental health issues.
Women older than 60 reported having their first drink at about age 23, but those between 20 and 29 reported starting in their mid-teens.
The study’s lead researcher said statistics indicated girls were starting to drink as early as boys, in part because of exposure to advertising.
Easy access to alcohol, ample disposable income and early maturity among teens were listed by researchers as contributing factors to the trend of early drinking.
Teens can start drinking for a variety of reasons such as curiosity, peer pressure or as a way to deal with pain or unresolved issues, said Dr. Mark Lee family medicine physician at the Rogers Medical Center. Although the contributing factors to early drinking can be identified, the trend is not always easy to prevent.
“When it comes to prevention and treatment, that’s where it gets a little tricky because the only thing you can do is to identify these children early as a risk,” Lee said.
In 2004, 393 people from ages 12 to 20 years old were admitted for alcohol treatment in Arkansas, according to the International Institute for Alcohol Awareness. This accounted for 6 percent of all treatment admissions for alcohol abuse in the state.
The good news? Another study found that 45 percent of college students reduced their drinking substantially after exposure to online education about acceptable consumption.

Study links sex on TV  to teen pregnancy
The RAND Corporation conducted a study of teens 12 to 17 years old monitored until reaching 15 to 20 years of age and found a possible link between exposure to sexual content on television and teen pregnancy.
Researchers said factors leading to teen pregnancy are complex, but added there is little doubt that TV can be one of those factors. The study’s authors urge parents, pediatricians and educators to be aware of television’s potential influence on teens’ health decisions.
Teenagers spend an average of three hours per day watching television, and researchers say TV’s impact on teen health choices is still not well understood.
Of the 2,003 teenagers included in the study, those who had watched the most sexual content on television were twice as likely to have experienced a pregnancy or gotten a girl pregnant as the teens with the lowest levels of exposure.
Researchers cautioned that while it is clear television has an impact on teen sexual behavior, its extent isn’t yet known because there are many other factors involved in a teen’s choices about sex.
According to a report released in January by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Arkansas ranks fourth in the nation for its teen pregnancy rate.

The Morning News’ correspondent Antoinette Grajeda contributed to this report.