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HPV Vaccine

The HPV vaccine is used to prevent cervical cancer, genital warts, and precancerous genital lesions. It stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies to fight off the HPV virus. There are many different types of the virus; the vaccine is designed to prevent four of them. The HPV vaccine is given in a three-shot series over six months. Potential side effects include reactions at the injection site, fever, and nausea.

 

What Is the HPV Vaccine?

Quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus (Types 6, 11, 16, and 18) Recombinant Vaccine (Gardasil®) is a vaccine that has been licensed to prevent cervical cancer, genital warts, and various precancerous genital lesions caused by certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV for short).
 
The HPV vaccine is approved for use in girls and women ages 9 to 26.
 
(Click What Is the HPV Vaccine Used For? for more information, including possible off-label uses.)
 

Side Effects of the HPV Vaccine

As with any medicine, side effects can occur with the HPV vaccine. However, not everyone who gets the vaccine will experience side effects. In fact, most people tolerate it well. If side effects occur, they are often minor and either require no treatment or can be easily treated by you or your healthcare provider. Serious side effects are less common.
 
The most common side effects include:
 
  • Reactions at the injection site, such as:
 
    • Pain
    • Swelling
    • Redness
    • Itching
 
  • Fever
  • Upset stomach (nausea)
  • Dizziness.
     
(Click HPV Vaccine Side Effects to learn more, including potentially serious side effects you should report to your healthcare provider.)
 

What Should I Tell My Healthcare Provider Before Getting the Vaccine?

Prior to receiving the HPV vaccine, tell your healthcare provider if you have:
 
  • A fever or are feeling ill
  • A bleeding disorder, such as hemophilia or thrombocytopenia
  • A poorly functioning immune system (such as with HIV, AIDS, or cancer)
  • Any allergies, including allergies to foods, dyes, or preservatives.
     
Also, let your healthcare provider know if you are:
 
  • Taking anticoagulants ("blood thinners")
  • Pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant (see HPV Vaccine and Pregnancy)
  • Breastfeeding.
     
In addition, tell your healthcare provider about all of the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
 
(Click Warnings and Precautions With the HPV Vaccine for more information, including information on who should not get it.)
  

How Does the HPV Vaccine Work?

The HPV vaccine protects against certain types of HPV infections. It works by stimulating the immune system to produce antibodies to fight off the HPV virus. This virus can be sexually transmitted and causes:
 
 
There are many different types of HPV virus, and the vaccine does not protect against all of them. However, it does protect against a few important HPV types (types 6, 11, 16, and 18). These four types were chosen because they cause about 70 percent of cervical cancers and 90 percent of genital warts.
 

Effects of the HPV Vaccine

The HPV vaccine has been studied in over 20,000 women who were 16 to 26 years old. In these studies, the vaccine was effective in preventing genital warts and various precancerous growths. It was more than 98 percent effective in preventing genital warts caused by HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18. The vaccine was more than 95 percent effective in preventing precancerous cervical growths caused by HPV 6, 11, 16, and 18.
 
The effectiveness of the HPV vaccine for preventing precancerous growths was studied instead of actual cervical cancer, as it is easier to study precancerous growths because they develop more quickly.
 
There is no evidence that the vaccine will protect against types other than HPV 6, 11, 16, and 18. Also, it is unknown whether the effects of the vaccine will "wear off" over time.
 
The HPV vaccine was also studied in girls who were 9 to 15 years old. In these studies, these younger girls produced antibodies to HPV in a similar way that the women age 16 to 26 years old had done. This means that the vaccine can be expected to be just as effective in younger girls as it is in women.
 

When and How to Take It

Some general considerations for when and how to take the HPV vaccine include the following:
 
  • The HPV vaccine is an injection that your healthcare provider gives you.
     
  • The vaccine is given as a series of three injections:
 
    • First injection: At any time
    • Second injection: Two months after the first injection
    • Third injection: Six months after the first injection.
 
  • The HPV vaccine is injected into a muscle in the upper arm or upper thigh.
     
  • For the vaccine to work properly, you have to get all three injections. It will not work as well if you do not get all three injections.
     

Dosing Information

There is only one dose of the HPV vaccine for girls and women ages 9 to 26. The dose is not affected by age or weight.
 
(Click HPV Vaccine Dosing for more information.)
  

Drug Interactions

The HPV vaccine can potentially interact with a number of medicines (see Drug Interactions With the HPV Vaccine for more information).
  

What Should I Do If I Miss a Dose?

If you are late for an injection, call your healthcare provider to schedule your next injection as soon as you remember. You do not need to "start over" with the three-injection series if you are late for an HPV vaccine injection.
 

Available Strengths

The HPV vaccine is available in single-dose vials and single-dose, pre-filled syringes.
 

Who Makes the Vaccine?

The HPV vaccine is manufactured by Merck & Co., Inc.
 

Generic HPV Vaccine

No generic versions of the HPV vaccine are licensed for sale (see Generic HPV Vaccine).
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;