Merck’s Gardasil Adds Serotypes; Boosting Vaccinations Seems Bigger Challenge

Promotion strategy likely to remain same after nine-valent HPV vaccine wins FDA approval; Merck may need help from the CDC to overcome cultural barriers to adoption.

Merck & Co. Inc. received FDA clearance of its nine-valent HPV vaccine, Gardasil 9, on Dec. 10, but it’s unclear whether the additional HPV protection offered by the vaccine can help the company and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention overcome the hurdles to widespread vaccination, many of which may be cultural, not scientific.

Gardasil 9 covers five more human papillomavirus types (31, 33, 45, 52 and 58) than Merck’s original Gardasil vaccine approved...

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