Merck's HPV Vaccine Gets Boosters

An influential federal advisory group on Thursday endorsed a Merck(MRK Quote) vaccine that fights the virus that causes cervical cancer, saying it should be added to a routine list of shots for girls as young as 11 and 12.

The panel said the vaccine, Gardasil, could be offered for 9- and 10-year olds at a doctor's discretion, and it recommended that it be given to those between ages 13 and 26 who had not been previously vaccinated.

The advisory group also said Gardasil should be included in a federal program that pays for vaccines for poor children. ...