Germany and Italy have recommended that girls receive Merck's human papillomavirus vaccine Gardasil, Sanofi Pasteur, a joint company of Merck and Sanofi-Aventis, announced on Monday, Reuters reports (Reuters, 3/26). Gardasil in clinical trials has been shown to be 100% effective in preventing infection with strains 16 and 18, which together cause about 70% of cervical cancer cases, and about 99% effective in preventing HPV strains 6 and 11, which together with strains 16 and 18 cause about 90% of genital wart cases, among women not already infected with these strains. Gardasil also protects against vaginal and vulvar cancers, two other gynecological cancers that are linked to HPV, according to a study presented in Atlanta at a meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 3/23). The European Commission in September 2006 approved Gardasil for sale and marketing in the European Union (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 10/18/06). Germany is recommending that all girls ages 12 to 17 receive the vaccine, and the Italian health ministry plans to start vaccinating 12-year-old girls when regional health centers can provide Gardasil. Gardasil has been approved in 57 countries worldwide, and France and Austria also have recommended girls receive the vaccine (Reuters, 3/26).

According to London's Guardian, Sanofi Pasteur funded a campaign advocating for European governments to vaccinate young girls with Gardasil (Boseley [1], Guardian, 3/26). The company paid for the First Global Summit against Cervical Cancer, which was held in Paris on Thursday, the Guardian reports. The Coalition Against Cervical Cancer -- which includes politicians, physicians and female celebrities -- was launched at the summit, and it plans to lobby European governments for vaccination mandates (Boseley [2], Guardian, 3/26).