Merck’s vaccine Gardasil has faced a decline in demand in China amid economic headwinds and increased competition from local players. The US pharmaceutical giant made the decision to halt shipments due to the oversaturated market. Despite recent approval for anal cancer and genital warts prevention among men, the existing stock is difficult for the market to absorb. This setback highlights the challenges faced by blockbuster shots in highly competitive markets.
Source: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-05/merck-s-gardasil-halt-shows-blockbuster-shots-dilemma-in-china