Merck (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, issued the following statement on GARDASIL® [Human Papillomavirus Quadrivalent (Types 6, 11, 16 and 18) Vaccine, Recombinant], Merck's vaccine to protect against certain diseases caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6, 11, 16 and 18.
The facts about GARDASIL are clear. The efficacy and safety of GARDASIL was established in clinical trials in thousands of patients. Since its approval in 2006, the vaccine has been given to millions of girls around the world. Merck remains strongly committed to preventing cervical cancer.
Leading national and international health organizations actively monitor and evaluate the HPV vaccine, and they continue to recommend its use. Just last month, the Institute of Medicine reaffirmed the safety of a number of vaccines, including HPV vaccines, and concluded, "Despite much media attention and strong opinions from many quarters, vaccines remain one of the greatest tools in the public health arsenal."
Every year, approximately 12,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with cervical cancer, and most cases are caused by HPV types 16 and 18. This is why the medical community rejoiced when HPV vaccines first become widely available in 2006, and why Merck continues in its efforts to prevent cervical cancer.
GARDASIL is approved for use in girls and young women 9 through 26 years of age for the prevention of cervical, vulvar, vaginal and anal cancers caused by HPV types 16 and 18; genital warts caused by HPV types 6 and 11; and precancerous or dysplastic lesions caused by HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18.
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