Potentially millions of people have developed some type of illness after receiving all doses of Merck’s Gardasil vaccine. We are representing clients in Gardasil Lawsuits against pharmaceutical company Merck. These suits allege that Merk concealed evidence about the serious health risks associated with the HPV vaccine.
Gardasil was approved by the FDA in 2006 for use in preventing infection from only a very small amount of the hundreds of types of human papillomavirus. Since its approval, thousands of adolescents and adults have reported serious and debilitating side effects after receiving Gardasil. Merck’s HPV vaccine Gardasil is linked to death and serious injuries. Contact our Gardasil Lawyers to find out your and your family’s legal options.
Why is there a Gardasil Lawsuit?
Lawsuits against Merck, the manufacturer of Gardasil, allege that the company knew about debilitating injuries and death, but failed adequately warn about the product’s dangers. It’s safe to assume that the victims who were left with serious illnesses would have opted not to take the drug had they known about the risks.
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If Merck’s HPV vaccine Gardasil was linked to the death or serious injury to a loved one, contact our Gardasil Lawyers at The Carlson Law Firm to find out your family’s legal options.
Why is Gardasil No Longer in Vaccine Court?
Typically, vaccine cases differ from pharmaceutical cases based on which courts they’re heard in. Gardasil-related injuries initially went through the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP), often referred to as Vaccine Court. Vaccine court is a no-fault court where the manufacturer is not named as a party or involved in the court process in any way. For other drugs, however, they’re heard in civil courts and plaintiffs are able to retain attorneys to sue the manufacturer.
In March 2022, Gardasil lawsuits moved from Vaccine Court for the first time because two Georgia teens allege Merck deceived regulators and the public about its dangerous products. Their lawsuit alleges that Merck’s goal was to reap billions of dollars in annual profits from it. This kind of deception at the expense of the health of others opens Merck to punitive damages.
How did Merck fail victims of Gardasil?
Gardasil received FDA approval in just six months. In other words, the company failed to do adequate research on the side effects of its drugs by rushing the clinical trial phase. In fact, serious side effects were never documented by the company. For example in clinical trials for Gardasil:
- In one trial, 90% of participants did not receive vaccination report cards. In other words, there was very little follow-up information about adverse reactions.
- Merck’s researchers failed to review medical records.
- The company failed to follow up when adverse reactions were reported.
Merck so poorly handled the clinical trials that in many cases the trial pool was already tainted. Researchers informed participants that the vaccine was proven safe and the placebo was a solution. However, none of this was true. The placebo was actually an aluminum-containing adjuvant and other chemical mixtures which masked serious side effects. Mercks statements during clinical trials may have tainted research and patient opinion of symptoms because it made Gardasil seem safer than it would have been otherwise.
Is the FDA Voting Committee Tainted by Self-Interest?
Many of the members that make up the FDA’s Vaccine and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee have substantial ties to the pharmaceutical industry. The FDA has long been under scrutiny for both its approval process and its lack of authority to actually remove dangerous drugs from the market.
Does Gardasil Cause POTS?
There is data that suggests a strong correlation between Gardasil and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). POTS is a condition that affects blood flow when a person stands up. It typically affects those born female at birth between the ages of 15 and 50.
Typical symptoms include:
- Lightheadedness
- Chronic and severe fatigue
- Vertigo
- Fainting
- Chronic headaches or migraines
- Shakiness
- Inability to exercise
- An uncomfortable, rapid increase in heart rate when standing up from a reclined position and relieved by sitting or lying back down.
POTS is diagnosed only when orthostatic hypotension is ruled out and when there is no acute dehydration or blood loss.
Did Merck know about Gardasil’s dangers?
Just three years after Gardasil was approved, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report detailing Gardasil’s link to 32 deaths and higher incidences of fainting and blood clots than other vaccines. The 2009 report should’ve put Merck on notice to warn patients about the potential risks seriously outweighing the potential benefits.
Gardasil only protects against four of the most common cancer-causing strains of the human pailloma virus (HPV). There are 13 types of HPV that can cause cervical cancer. In other words, Gardasil only protects those who receive it from 30% of the HPV strains that cause cancer.
Gardasil Adverse Health Events
According to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), there have been 53,337 adverse events reported against Gardasil and Gardasil 9 in the United States alone. Of which, at least 9,600 have been serious negative events, including 547 deaths.
Is Gardasil still available?
Yes. Gardasil is still widely available as Gardasil 9. Merck has discontinued older versions of the vaccine, but Gardasil 9 came on the U.S. market in 2016.
What are Gardasil’s Ingredients?
The science correlating Gardasil adverse events to long-term illness is helping fuel Gardasil lawsuits. Further, it’s worth mentioning again, that Gardasil only protects from about four of the 13 strains of HPV that cause cancer. Gardasil’s listed ingredients include:
- HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18
- Amorphous aluminum hydroxyphosphate sulfate
- Yeast protein
- Sodium chloride
- L-histidine
- Polysorbate 80
- Sodium borate
- Water for injection
However, some research indicates that Gardasil may contain hidden chemicals that create biochemical disturbances. Independent researchers say they’ve found undisclosed HPV DNA fragments and hidden organosilanes. In addition, there is a possibility that the HPC vaccine contains other impurities.
Speak with one of our attorneys to find out if your Gardasil lawsuit options.
What are Gardasil’s Adverse Effects on Young Women?
According to research, in the years following Gardasil’s approval, there have been numerous reports of serious autoimmune adverse reactions associated with the medication. In the U.S. alone, when compared to all other vaccines, Gardasil is associated with more than 60% of serious adverse reactions. For example, Gardasil is linked to “63.8% of all deaths and 81.2$ cases of permanent disability in females younger than 30.”
These observations suggest that there is some evidence that the Gardasil vaccine was not fully vetter during the prelicensure trials. The HPV vaccine has an unusually high frequency of adverse effects. These negative events cannot be attributed to ingredients widely used by other vaccines.
How do I know if I’m eligible for a Gardasil lawsuit?
Between 2006 and 2018, the VICP received 333 claims for HPV vaccine injuries—only 142 of those claims were eligible for compensation in Vaccine Court. However, now that these lawsuits are in civil court, punitive damages are available to victims. If you or a family member became ill after receiving a Gardasil injection, The Carlson Law Firm is here to help.
Victims filing Gardasil lawsuits have serious medical conditions. Injuries victims and their families can file a claim for include the following:
- Death
- Interconnective Tissue Disorder
- Rheumatological Disorders
- Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP)
- Small Fiber Neuropathy
- Inflammatory Disorders
- Neurological Disorders
- Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis
- Movement Disorders
- Chronic Pain Syndromes
- Chronic Fatigue Syndromes
- Gardasil Arthritis
- Fibromyalgia
- Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)
- Gardasil Autoimmune Disorders
- Heart problems including severe arrhythmia and heart attacks
- Pulmonary Embolism
- Stroke
- Guillain-Barre Syndrome
- Lupus
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Paralysis
- Gardasil Epilepsy
- Coma
- Cervical cancer
- Dysautonomia
- Reproductive Disorders
If you or a loved one received all injections of the Gardasil vaccine, our compassionate legal team is ready to take your call. Call 800-359-5690 to speak with a member of our legal team.
How long do I have to file a Gardasil Lawsuit?
Typically, those who suffered injuries after receiving the Gardasil vaccine have three years to file a claim. However, if you previously tried to pursue compensation through Vaccine Court, you may also be eligible for a claim.
Time is of the essence. It’s important that you speak with a Gardasil lawyer as soon as possible.
The Carlson Law Firm Can Help
After suffering an injury from a dangerous drug, many people don’t know that they have the option to file a lawsuit. Lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies are about more than the individual—they are about punishing the pharmaceutical company and ensuring they do everything they can to prevent further injuries from happening to other people. For more than 45 years, The Carlson Law Firm has been a voice for the voiceless. If you or a family member suffered injuries from the Gardasil vaccine, let us be your megaphone. We can help you stand up to pharmaceutical giant, Merck.