Silgard is used to vaccinate against precancerous lesions (abnormal cell growth) in the genital area (cervix, vulva or vagina), cancer of the cervix and genital warts that are caused by infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6, 11, 16 or 18. The effectiveness of Silgard has been studied in women aged 16 to 26 years, and its immunogenicity (its ability to make the immune system respond to the viruses) has been studied in children and adolescents aged nine to 15 years.