GARDASIL

KEEP MAKING SMART CHOICES

You’re smart about the choices you make for your health—and your future. So make sure you’re also making smart decisions when it comes to human papillomavirus (HPVGenital HPV (human papillomavirus)About 30 types of HPV are known as genital HPV since they affect the genital area.
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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the only way you can totally protect yourself against HPV is to avoid any sexual activity that involves genital contact.

If you are having any kind of sexual contact:

1. Use a condom—condoms may lower the risk of HPV if used all the time and the right way. But HPV can infect areas that are not covered by a condom—so they may not fully protect against HPV.
2. Limit your sexual partners. You can be exposed to HPV by having genital contact just once with another person who has the virus.
3. Know that there is currently no way to screen men for HPV. So as far as HPV protection goes, there is no way to know if a guy has the virus or is passing it on.

Another decision worth making is getting vaccinated with GARDASIL. Even if you’re already sexually active, it still may make sense.

The duration of protection of GARDASIL has not been established.

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INFORMATION ABOUT GARDASIL

GARDASIL is the only human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine that helps protect against 4 types of HPV. In girls and young women ages 9 to 26, GARDASIL helps protect against 2 types of HPV that cause about 75% of cervical cancer cases, and 2 more types that cause 90% of genital warts cases. In boys and young men ages 9 to 26, GARDASIL helps protect against 90% of genital warts cases.

GARDASIL also helps protect girls and young women ages 9 to 26 against 70% of vaginal cancer cases and up to 50% of vulvar cancer cases.

GARDASIL may not fully protect everyone, nor will it protect against diseases caused by other HPV types or against diseases not caused by HPV. GARDASIL does not prevent all types of cervical cancer, so it’s important for women to continue routine cervical cancer screenings. GARDASIL does not treat cancer or genital warts. GARDASIL is given as 3 injections over 6 months.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Anyone who is allergic to the ingredients of GARDASIL, including those severely allergic to yeast, should not receive the vaccine. GARDASIL is not for women who are pregnant.

The side effects include pain, swelling, itching, bruising, and redness at the injection site, headache, fever, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, and fainting. Fainting can happen after getting GARDASIL. Sometimes people who faint can fall and hurt themselves. For this reason, your health care professional may ask you to sit or lie down for 15 minutes after you get GARDASIL. Some people who faint might shake or become stiff. This may require evaluation or treatment by your health care professional.

Only a doctor or health care professional can decide if GARDASIL is right for you or your child.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch By clicking on this link, you will be leaving this siteThis link will take you to a site outside of Merck & Co., Inc. Merck does not review or control the content of any non-Merck site. Merck does not endorse and is not responsible for the accuracy, content, practices, or standards of any non-Merck site.
Proceed or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Read the Patient Product Information or the Prescribing Information for GARDASIL.