Gardasil lawsuit (linked to paralysis)
Cervical cancer is the number one leading cause of cancer deaths among women in developing countries. However, Merck & Co. developed Gardasil, a vaccine, to help prevent certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV). Studies show that over 80% of women younger than age 50 have been exposed to at least one strain of HPV. In preventing HPV types 16, 18, 6, and 11, it is believed that over 70% of the cases of cervical cancer may be prevented.
Gardasil is designed to prevent the first infection of HPV, so therefore should be given to girls before they become sexually active. For women who have already been sexually active, the vaccine can still protect them from other types of HPV infections even if they are already infected with one of the four main types.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have said that they believe the Gardasil vaccination is safe and the FDA approved it for use in 2006. It has been clinically tested on over 11,000 females between the ages of 9 and 26. It also does not contain mercury, thiomersal, or live or dead particles. The known side effects of the Gardasil vaccination are fainting and soreness in the area of the injection.
However, the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) believes that Gardasil can have much more devastating side effects including blood clots, paralysis, seizures, Bells palsy, and Guillian-Barre syndrome. More than 3,400 complaints have been reported to the VICP of patients having taken the Gardasil vaccination then suffering these side effects. There have also been 20 deaths that are under investigation. One study shows that almost 50% of the pregnant women who had the Gardasil vaccination experienced fetal abnormalities including spontaneous abortion. The National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) doesn’t feel that Merck’s clinical trials proved that Gardasil was safe for use by young girls.
The FDA and CDC admitted that 9,749 reports of those taking Gardasil have been filed with the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. But, there have been 16 million doses given as of the end of June 2008. The FDA and CDC said that given that amount, “by chance alone some serious adverse effects and deaths” will occur, but have nothing to do with the Gardasil vaccination.
It is the responsibility of drug manufacturers to ensure your safety when taking a medication or receiving a vaccination. If you are harmed after using a product, you may have grounds for legal action against the manufacturer. If you have taken the Gardasil vaccination and suffered any of the severe side effects listed above, contact a lawyer about your legal rights as a consumer.