CANADA: "McGill Launches Study on Seaweed-Based Gel
That Prevents HPV" Montreal Gazette
(01.08.13)::
Marian Scott. Eduardo Franco, director of McGill University’s
cancer epidemiology division, and colleagues will conduct a study
of sea-algae extract to determine whether it can be used in a
topical gel to prevent human papillomavirus (HPV) transmission.
The seaweed extract, carrageenan, is used commercially as a
thickener and has been found to inhibit transmission of HPV, the
virus that causes cervical cancer. Throughout the next year, 465
sexually active university-age women will participate in a clinical
trial of the seaweed extract. They will be asked to apply a gel
before sex. One-half of them will receive the gel with the active
ingredient and the other half will receive a placebo. Participants
will be continually monitored to determine if the gel prevents
transmission. If a participant already has HPV, the researchers
will monitor whether the gel prevents the virus from spreading to
a wider area and whether it prevents the individual from
contracting new strains. In 2010, a McGill study noted that 56
percent of young adults in a new sexual relationship were
infected with HPV and 44 percent of them were infected with a
type of HPV that causes cancer. Although there are vaccines to
prevent HPV, Franco noted that they are only effective against
four of the more than 40 types of the virus. Also, the vaccines
are very expensive in developing countries, which have the
highest rates of cancer. If the trial is successful, the extract will
provide a cheap solution, Franco added. Franco said that if the
trial is successful, the researchers will conduct larger trials with
subjects in different age groups. Other considerations include the
use of the extract as condom lubricant and mixed with gargle
solution to prevent transmission during oral sex. The Canadian
Institutes of Health Research is funding this trial.