FDA reviews cervical cancer vaccine

CLEVELAND -- Drug maker Merck & Co. recently announced that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration will consider whether to expand use of Gardisil, meant to prevent cervical cancer, to women aged 27 to 45.

Gardisil, a vaccine that blocks four types of human papilloma virus, is currently approved for girls and women 9 to 26. The human papilloma virus can cause genital warts and cervical cancer.

The priority review of the drug granted by the FDA means that a decision on the new application of the drug will be made within six months rather than the standard ten months.

Cervical cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in women worldwide, resulting in 280,000 deaths each year.

According to Merck, there were an estimated 11,000 new cases of cervical cancer and 3,600 deaths in the U.S.