The virus leads to the hospitalization of thousands of children in the U.S. with diarrhea and kills millions in developing countries.
If the government gives the go-ahead, Merck and Co.'s vaccine would become the nation's second attempt at preventing rotavirus.
Federal health advisers unanimously voted Wednesday that Merck's candidate, RotaTeq, seems safe and effective. They also urged careful monitoring to watch for side effects.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is not bound by the decisions of its advisory committees, but often follows their recommendations.
