The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has recommended Gardasil 9 (human papillomavirus vaccine) for the prevention of diseases caused by nine types of human papillomavirus (HPV). This means that Gardasil 9 covers five more HPV types than Gardasil, one of two HPV vaccines available in the European Union (EU).

HPV is a group of viruses that commonly affects both men and women. Infection with some types of HPV can cause abnormal tissue growth including warts, and changes to cells. Persistent infection with certain types of HPV can also cause cancers of the cervix, anus, vagina and vulva, as well as cancers of the mouth and throat. Nearly 100% of cervical cancers, 90% of anal cancers, 70% of vaginal cancers and 15% of vulvar cancers are caused by HPV.

Gardasil 9 is recommended for use in boys and girls from nine years of age to protect against cervical cancer and pre-malignant cervical lesions, vulvar and vaginal cancers and pre-malignant vulvar and vaginal lesions, pre-malignant anal lesions and anal cancers and external genital warts covered by HPV types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52 and 58.

Like Gardasil, it protects against the most common HPV types associated with disease (6, 11, 16, 18), but it also protects against five additional HPV types (31, 33, 45, 52 and 58).

For more details, go to: http://www.ema.europa.eu/ema/index.jsp?curl=pages/news_and_events/news/2015/03/news_detail_002295.jsp&mid=WC0b01ac058004d5c1