Clinical studies have shown the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines to be very effective at preventing persistent infection by vaccine serotypes. The development of these new vaccines heralds a new era in cancer prevention. Gardasil, Merck's quadravalent HPV vaccine, has recently been licensed in Canada for women aged 9 to 26 years of age. It necessitates that health professionals become familiar with the vaccine, the evidence supporting its effectiveness and issues related to vaccine strategy, cost effectiveness, and remaining research questions. The vaccine is recommended in Canada for females aged 9 to 13 years and should also be offered to females aged 14 to 26 years. Ongoing research will determine the duration of protection conferred by the vaccine, and the potential need for booster doses. In conjunction with continued screening programs, the HPV vaccine offers the potential to dramatically reduce the burden of cervical cancer in Canada, and to do so in a cost-effective manner.