A new vaccine can help protect your daughter from developing cervical cancer. The vaccine, Gardasil®, prevents infection from the human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes cervical cancer and genital warts.

HPV is one of the most common sexually transmitted viruses. In most cases, a healthy immune system can fight it off. In rare cases, however, HPV infections can cause harmful changes in the cervical cells that can lead to cancer. In fact, “high-risk” types of HPV infection – the kinds that Gardasil® prevents – are the most common cause of cervical cancer, which affects more than 9,000 women every year.

Experts recommend that girls aged 11 to 12* receive the Gardasil® vaccine now, as well as those 13- to 26-year-olds who have not been previously vaccinated. The vaccine is given in three shots over a six-month period.

Remember that Gardasil® isn’t a substitute for routine cervical cancer screening. But your daughter shouldn’t wait until she’s old enough for a screening to be vaccinated. Talk to your daughter and her pediatrician about this important vaccine today.