Human papillomavirus vaccine. Hand holding a Gardasil vaccination kit. This is the world's first commercially available vaccine against diseases caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). It works by using inactive virus particles, which trigger an immune response without causing any illness. Once the immune system has been exposed to the vaccine, it will be better prepared to prevent infection by the active virus. It is hoped that this vaccine will drastically reduce the number of HPV-related cancers, such as cervical cancer. After undergoing extensive research and clinical trials, this vaccine was approved for use on 8th June 2006.