Health news updates

Plan B may be available without a prescription
This is great news. I think an age restriction on nonprescription sales of the morning after pill are appropriate, and the idea of putting them behind the pharmacy counter is just common sense. I couldn't understand the "controversy" last year when people were saying behind-the-counter sales wouldn't work. Tobacco sales are age-restricted; pornography sales are age-restricted; here in the Midwest, they card you at the pharmacy counter for cold medicine. Why would Plan B sales be any more difficult? At least they've started the talks back up, and something good may come of this yet.

Gardasil approved to prevent cervical cancer
Gardasil added to vaccination schedule
These stories are more than a month old, I know, but I just can't stop being excited about it. Merck's HPV vaccine is going to change the incidence and prevalence of cervical cancer over the next 50 years. And yes, I admit that I'm slightly biased, having worked on the HPV vaccine project at Merck for a year, but that doesn't change the facts: it's a great vaccine. Every woman under the age of 26 should go get it. Guys should go ahead and get it now, too; not only will it help curb the spread of HPV to women (indirect benefit), it prevents against the two most prevalent strains of genital warts, which is a direct benefit to you.