Merck's Gardasil Cleared by FDA

Updated from 1:59 p.m. EDT

The Food and Drug Administration approved Merck's (MRK Quote) Gardasil, the first vaccine against a virus that causes cervical cancer and genital warts.

The agency gave the product broad approval Thursday, saying that the vaccine is appropriate for treating girls as young as 9 years old and women as old as 26.

The vaccine is approved for two types of human papillomavirus, or HPV, that Merck says accounts for 70% of cervical cancers. The vaccine also prevents two types of HPV that account for 90% of genital warts. ...