China Takes Major Step in Gender-Neutral HPV Prevention with Gardasil®9 Approval for Males
The National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) of China has approved MSD’s Gardasil®9, a nine-valent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, for use in males aged 16 to 26. With this landmark approval, Gardasil®9 becomes the first and only nine-valent HPV vaccine in China authorized for use in both males and females, ushering in a new era of gender-neutral HPV prevention.
Previously approved for females, Gardasil®9’s expansion to males covers the prevention of anal cancer, genital warts, and certain precancerous lesions caused by specific HPV types. The vaccine offers protection against nine types of HPV, known to cause serious health issues across genders.
“HPV infections are not gender-specific,” said Anna Van Acker, Senior Vice-President of MSD and President of MSD China. “This approval allows us to protect more men, more families, and create a society free of HPV-related diseases.”
Since its first approval in China in 2018, MSD has extended Gardasil®9’s reach through approvals for expanded age groups (from 9 to 45 years), a two-dose regimen for adolescents (aged 9–14), and now, this newest male indication.
The approval reflects the Chinese government’s commitment to accelerating HPV vaccine accessibility, with a broader goal of eliminating cervical and other HPV-related cancers. HPV vaccines remain the only cancer-preventing vaccines currently available worldwide.
According to the World Health Organization, nearly 80% of men and women will contract at least one HPV type in their lifetime. Globally, over 300 million doses of Gardasil®9 have been administered, including 33 million in China alone.
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