gardasil gardasil gardasil is an hpv vaccine for use in the prevention of certain strains of human papillomavirus (hpv). it was developed by merck & co. high-risk human papilloma virus (hr-hpv) genital infection is the most common sexually transmitted infection among women. the hpv strains that gardasil protects against are sexually transmitted, specifically hpv types 6, 11, 16 and 18. hpv types 16 and 18 cause an estimated 70% of cervical cancers, and are responsible for most hpv-induced anal, vulvar, vaginal, and penile cancer cases. hpv types 6 and 11 cause an estimated 90% of genital warts cases. hpv type 16 is responsible for almost 90% of hpv-positive oropharyngeal cancers, and the prevalence is higher in males than females. though gardasil does not treat existing infection, vaccination is still recommended for hpv-positive individuals, as it may protect against one or more different strains of the disease.