Gardasil (& Cervarix)

Gardasil is manufactured by Merck, Inc. and was introduced to the market in 2006 as a cervical cancer vaccine. It is a vaccine which aids in the protection against HPV (human papillomavirus), a sexually-transmitted disease which can cause genital warts in both males and females. The drug is administered to individuals between the ages of 9 and 26.

Cervarix is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline, and also marketed as a vaccine against certain types of cancer-causing human papillomavirus. It was not approved for use in the United States until October 16, 2009, and was only used in Australia, the Philippines and the European Union. It is also used in the UK for a national program of vaccination for teen and pre-teen girls.

Little is known about the long-term effects these drugs can cause. Some possible serious side effects that have been experienced recently include:

  • Gastroenteritis
  • Appendicitis
  • Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
  • Asthma or bronchospasms (airway spasms)
  • Blood clots in the legs or lungs
  • Seizures
  • Guillain-BarrĂ© syndrome
  • Death

There have been 49 reported deaths connected with the use of Gardasil according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System.

Most disturbingly, it appears that these drugs are not even necessary. On October 25, 2009, Dr. Diane Harper, lead researcher in the development of two human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines and director of the Gynecologic Cancer Prevention Research Group at the University of Missouri, told an audience of medical professionals that Gardasil is largely unnecessary, and that it has never been fully tested on females under the age of 15. This is particularly shocking in light of the strong marketing efforts to make the drug mandatory for girls, and product literature and advertising that state the product can be used by girls as young as age 9.

Dr. Harper's remarks were made to an audience at the 4th International Public Conference on Vaccination. During this talk, she said 70 percent of all HPV infections resolve themselves without treatment within a year, and that within two years that number climbs to 90 percent. Of the remaining 10 percent, she said, only half will develop into cervical cancer, resulting in "little need for the vaccine." She also said incidences of cervical cancer are steadily decreasing with conventional treatments and preventative measures.

If you or a loved one has suffered from one or more of these side effects as a result of taking Gardasil, you may be entitled to compensation. Call us at (478) 745-9002 for a free consultation.