Trending News Today: FDA Approves Expanded Use of HPV Vaccine

Officials with the FDA approved the expanded use of Merck’s vaccine against human papilloma virus (HPV) to adults up to age 45, the Associated Press reported. According to the article, Gardasil was previously only indicated for preteens and young adults through age 26, but the new approval extends its use to women and men through 45 years old. The latest version of the vaccine protects against 9 strains of HPV, which is 4 more than the original, the article reported.

A new study suggests that individuals with type 1 diabetes who maintain good blood sugar control may reduce their long-term risk of developing dementia, Reuters reported. According to the article, researchers used health records to follow 3433 individuals over age 50 with type 1 diabetes and analyzed the patients’ repeated measurements of HbA1c. Among these patients, those with average blood glucose readings near the normal range more than half of the time were 45% less likely to develop dementia than those whose readings were routinely higher, the article reported.

The European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) risk assessment has recommended restrictions on the use of fluoroquinolone and quinolone antibiotics following a review of adverse effects, Reuters reported. According to the article, the EMA indicated that the adverse effects reported were “disabling and potentially long-lasting,” although they were rare, and mainly involved muscles, tendons, bones, and the nervous system. The Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee said the antibiotics should only be used to treat infections when an antibiotic is essential and others cannot be used, the article reported.