A new HPV vaccine that is currently being tested in the Netherlands looks like it may be able to turn back the cancer clock. Unlike current HPV vaccines that are designed to protect men and women from ever getting the virus, this new vaccine is for women who are already infected with HPV and suffering pre-cancerous changes. When the vaccine was tested on a group of 20 women with vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia, nine women had complete remission of their lesions and another six saw significant improvement. Although it will be a long time before such a vaccine is available for the general population, and the current formulation still has some problematic side effects, this is an encouraging result for researchers who are looking for new ways to treat and prevent HPV related cancers after women have already been infected with the virus.

• HPV 101
• How Does Gardsasil Work?

Results from an Australian study recently published in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections found that the number of new cases of genital warts in young women dropped by 25% during each quarter of the first year after the country began providing the HPV vaccine. The number of cases seen in heterosexual men also dropped each quarter, although by a smaller 5 percent. The fact that the decline in the number of cases of genital warts began approximately 6 months after free vaccination campaigns had gotten under way, and that it followed more than 3 years of no changes in the incidence of genital warts, suggests that the vaccination program may be responsible. Although the study only looked at data from one large urban health center, the results are promising, and hopefully other researchers will engage in further investigation.

• Genital Warts Basics
• How Gardasil Works
• Glossary: Incidence

Didn't think that a failure to practice safe sex was such a big deal? According to a new report from the World Health Organization, "Global life expectancy could be increased by nearly five years by addressing five factors affecting health - childhood underweight, unsafe sex, alcohol use, lack of safe water, sanitation and hygiene, and high blood pressure." Worldwide, unsafe sex was responsible for four percent of attributable deaths in 2004.

One of the biggest dangers from unsafe sex is cancers caused by HPV - cervical cancer alone is responsible for more than 10 percent of unsafe sex deaths. Almost all cervical cancer is caused by the sexually transmitted virus, and cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in Africa. Many people think of practicing safe sex as an inconvenience, but it's important to remember that it saves lives - and not just by preventing HIV.

• WHO: Global Health Risks
• How to Have Safe Sex
• HPV 101
• HIV Overview

I have to admit that I'm fascinated by all the people who are using social networking sites as a venue for sex education. Case in point - the new HPV Factcheck Facebook tool that allows people to take a quiz about HPV and then share their results with their friends (or not) in order to improve their education. Although I will admit that people do love taking quizzes, this does not necessarily seem to me like the most sensible use of social networking technology for sex education. It may be a bit too transparent. I really can't see most high risk individuals advertising their desire to learn about HPV and sharing the tool with their friends. Maybe I'm wrong, but I have a feeling that social networking sites are probably more useful for partner notification -- and similar outreach attempts that have to do with how people form relationships -- than simple provision of information... even if the information comes with buttons to click on and a fun little quiz.

• Top 10 Reasons To Support Comprehensive Sex Education
• HPV 101
• Calculate Your Risk Profile
• Partner Notification: What & Why