Cancer Help In Vd Drug? (Press, 26 October 1981)

Dr R. D. Catterall, president of the International Union against Venereal Diseases and Treponematoses, announced in Christchurch on 26 October 1981 that a new vaccine to prevent hepatitis B, a strain of venereal disease that can lead to liver cancer, might be available as early as 1982. He highlighted the vaccine's ability to provide several years of immunity against the sexually transmitted disease, which is known to affect a significant number of individuals without causing symptoms. Dr Catterall explained that the sexual transmission of the hepatitis B virus is well-documented, particularly among a small group of homosexual men who often become supercarriers of the virus, thereby contributing to a majority of infections. He noted that severe late complications of hepatitis B include chronic aggressive hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver, and the possibility of developing hepatoma, or liver cancer. Currently, the vaccine requires three injections for adequate protection, which Dr Catterall remarked can be quite expensive. However, he expressed optimism about the new vaccine, stating that its development represents more than just a breakthrough in preventing a venereal disease; it holds the potential to prevent significant liver damage and is unique in being the first vaccine that may also prevent cancer in any field of medicine.

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