HPV vaccine

HPV vaccines protect against a very common sexually transmitted virus called HPV or human papillomavirus. HPV infects at least 50% of sexually active people at some point in their lives. The body often clears the virus on its own. But if the virus persists, it can lead to cervical, anal, and throat cancers and to genital warts.

Three HPV vaccines are approved for use in the U.K.: Gardasil, Gardasil 9, and Cervarix. 

Like all vaccines, HPV vaccines are not foolproof. They don’t protect against all of the 100-plus types of HPV. But they are nearly 100% effective in preventing disease caused by high-risk strains of HPV, which together account for 90% of all cervical cancers, as well as many cancers of the vagina, vulva, penis, anus, and throat.

Gardasil 9 targets 9 types of HPV: 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58. HPV-6 and HPV-11 cause about 90% of genital warts.

The vaccine contains a virus-like particle but not the actual virus.