Merck Cutting Jobs at U.S. Gardasil Plant as Global Demand Falls
Sales of the heavily promoted HPV vaccine are declining, forcing the pharmaceutical giant to scale back production.
Pharmaceutical giant Merck is cutting jobs at a U.S. facility that manufactures its HPV vaccine Gardasil as global demand for the product declines, according to a report by Bloomberg.
Roughly 150 employees will be affected at the company’s vaccine manufacturing plant in Durham, North Carolina, where Gardasil and Gardasil 9 are produced — a notable development for a product that has generated billions in annual revenue and has been aggressively promoted worldwide for nearly two decades.
The layoffs are expected to take effect later this spring. For years, Gardasil has been one of Merck’s most profitable pharmaceutical products and a cornerstone of global campaigns promoting HPV injections for adolescents and young adults. The company’s decision to reduce staff tied to production suggests demand for the product is no longer keeping pace with expectations.
Sales Decline and Market Shifts
Gardasil has long ranked among Merck’s top revenue-generating products. However, recent reports indicate global sales declined significantly in 2025, driven in part by weakening demand in key international markets, including China — previously a major engine of growth for the product.
Merck reportedly paused shipments of Gardasil to China amid oversupply and slowing demand. At the same time, new HPV injections produced by Chinese manufacturers are entering the market, increasing competition and reshaping the global landscape.
Fewer Doses, Fewer Sales
Changes in vaccination recommendations may also be affecting demand. Global health authorities have begun recommending a single-dose HPV schedule in some cases, replacing earlier recommendations for two or three doses.
While framed as a way to expand access, fewer doses per person also mean fewer doses sold overall — a shift that could have long-term implications for pharmaceutical manufacturers that have relied on multi-dose vaccine schedules.
A Billion-Dollar Facility — Now Cutting Staff
The layoffs are particularly notable because Merck only recently invested heavily in vaccine manufacturing infrastructure. The company opened a $1-billion vaccine manufacturing facility in Durham in 2025, designed in part to support Gardasil production.
Now, less than a year later, the company is reducing staff tied to the product. In a statement, a Merck spokesperson said the company “continuously assesses our operations and evolving business needs” and adjusts its manufacturing network accordingly.
Growing Questions About Gardasil
The slowdown in global demand for Gardasil comes as more parents around the world are asking questions about the HPV injection and seeking more information before consenting to it for their children. Informed consent matters more now than ever.
While public health agencies continue to promote the product as a cancer-prevention tool, there are numrerous concerns about clinical trial design, adverse event reports and the long-term risk-benefit profile of the injection.
Source:
Bloomberg, Merck Cuts Staff at Gardasil Plant Amid Slump in Global Demand
CHD.TV has hours of heartbreaking testimony from The People’s Study re: Gardasil adverse events HERE.
25 Reasons to Avoid the Gardasil Vaccine
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