Paradigm shifting vaccines: prophylactic vaccines against latent varicella-zoster virus infection and against HPV-associated cancer.

We compare the design, mechanism of action, and clinical efficacy of two recently licensed paradigm shifting vaccines. Zostavax is the first vaccine licensed to prevent disease in patients already infected with a pathogen, and is contrasted with Gardasil and Cervarix, the first vaccines designed and licensed specifically to prevent cancers.