FDA has approved Merck and Co’s Gardasil, as a protection against rare vaginal and vulva cancer in young women between the age group of 9 – 26. The vaccine is already available in the US as prevention from cervical and genital warts in girls and women of same age group.

The vaccine targets four strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV) that’s responsible for most cases of cervical cancer. According to Jesse L. Goodman, MD, MPH, director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, "There is now strong evidence, showing that this vaccine can help prevent vulva and vaginal cancers due to the same viruses for which it also helps protect against cervical cancer."

Clinical trials have found the vaccine effective for both cervical and vulva cancer. However, the FDA has warned that "no vaccine is 100 percent effective." Thus it is pertinent for women to go for routine follow up check ups to ensure the efficacy of the vaccine. The FDA also enumerated the side effects of the vaccine, which include fainting and injection pain as well as headache, nausea and fever.

"To receive Gardasil's full potential for benefit, it is important to be vaccinated prior to becoming infected with the HPV strains contained in the vaccine," states an FDA news release. Till date more than 18 million Gradasil doses have been administered in the US. Merck expects the sales of the vaccine to reach between $ 1.4 billion to $1.6 billion in 2008.