WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Boys may soon be able to get Gardasil, the vaccine given to girls and young women to prevent infection by four types of human papillomavirus. Gardasil, a vaccine against human papillomavirus, would be given to boys exactly as it is to girls. A Food and Drug Administration advisory committee voted Wednesday to recommend that the vaccine be made available to boys and young men aged 9 to 26 for protection against genital warts caused by HPV. The vaccine protects against four types of HPV, and two of those are believed to be responsible for 70 percent of cervical and anal cancers, and HPV-associated penile and throat-and-neck cancers. The other two cause 90 percent of genital warts cases, researchers say.
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Committee says shots could prevent genital warts in males 9 to 26
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Vaccine's maker claims studies show 90 percent less HPV-caused disease
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HPV common in both sexes, CDC says, but men develop fewer problems
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Committee also favors Cervarix, new vaccine from GlaxoSmithKline
The @placeholder says that at least 50 percent of sexually active men and women get an HPV infection at some time in their life.