Gardasil is a new vaccine against human papillomavirus (HPV) infections. It has recently been licensed for use in the UK.

There are many types of HPV. Gardasil protects against infection from types 6,11,16 and 18.

Some women who are infected with HPV go on to develop changes in the cervix called CIN. If left untreated these changes can over many years lead to cervical cancer in some women.

Doctors think that about 70 out of every 100 cases of CIN2 or CIN3 are caused by infection with types 16 or 18 of HPV and about 90 out 100 cases of genital warts are caused by infection with types 6 and 11 of HPV. So a vaccine that protects against these types of HPV could help to reduce the number of cases of CIN in the cervix, cervical cancer and genital warts.

Although Gardasil can help to prevent infection with some types of HPV it is not a treatment for HPV infection or for abnormal changes in the cervix.

At present Gardasil is not generally available on the NHS. An independent group called the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation (JVCI) are currently looking into the safety, effectiveness and potential benefits of the vaccine. Once they have done this they will advise on whether it should be made available on the NHS.