Merck's Cervical Cancer Vaccine, Gardasil®, Added To The Cdc Vaccines For Children Contract

Merck & Co., Inc. today announced that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has added Merck's cervical cancer vaccine, GARDASIL® [Quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus (Types 6, 11, 16, 18) Recombinant Vaccine] to the CDC's Vaccines for Children (VFC) contract for girls and women aged 9 to 18. GARDASIL was approved on June 8 by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in girls and women ages 9 to 26 years. GARDASIL is the world's first and only vaccine available for the prevention of HPV types 16- and 18-related cervical cancer, cervical pre-cancers (CIN 2/3 and AIS), vulvar pre-cancers (VIN 2/3) and vaginal pre-cancers (VaIN 2/3) and for the prevention of genital warts and low-grade cervical lesions (CIN 1) caused by HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18.

"The addition of GARDASIL to the VFC program is a very positive step towards protecting the future health of girls and young women in this country against cervical cancer caused by HPV types 16 and 18," said Mark Feinberg, M.D., Ph.D., vice president, Policy, Public Health and Medical Affairs in the Merck Vaccine Division. "Inclusion of GARDASIL in the VFC program, coupled with private insurance coverage and Merck's Vaccine Patient Assistance Program, represent important means to facilitate broad and equitable access to GARDASIL."

Health insurers covering approximately 94 percent of privately insured lives in the US (currently more than 95 insurance plans) have decided to reimburse GARDASIL. Many lives not covered by Managed Care will now be covered under the VFC Program. Merck has also initiated a new patient assistance program for vaccines. Through this new program, currently available in private physicians' offices, Merck is making available, free of charge, GARDASIL and other Merck vaccines indicated for use in individuals aged 19 and older who are uninsured and who are unable to afford vaccines.

Since 1994, the VFC program has provided vaccines to children through age 18 who are Medicaid-eligible, uninsured, underinsured or Native American. After the CDC's Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) has made a recommendation for the use of a given vaccine, the ACIP votes on whether the vaccine should be included in the VFC program. At the June 2006 meeting of the ACIP, the committee voted unanimously to recommend GARDASIL to the VFC program. Eligible adolescents may receive recommended vaccines through VFC once the CDC contracts for the purchase of the vaccine, a process that is now complete. Read more..
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