New FDA Records Obtained by Judicial Watch Indicate 28 Deaths Related to Gardasil in 2008

WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwire - June 23, 2009) - Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced today that it has obtained records from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) documenting 28 deaths in 2008 associated with Gardasil, the vaccination for human papillomavirus (HPV), up from the 19 deaths in 2007. The total number of Gardasil-related deaths is 47 since the vaccine was approved in 2006. Overall, the FDA documented 6,723 "adverse events" related to Gardasil in 2008, of which 1,061 were considered "serious," and 142 considered "life threatening."

The following are several "adverse events" documented by the FDA's Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS):

--  "15 months from the completion of the GARDASIL HPV vaccination, I had
    full blown cervical cancer.  My oncologist would like to do a hysterectomy
    at this time, but [as I have] always wanted children, I have chosen to
    wait... I have two of the [strains] that the shot is suppose to prevent...
    I now have cervical cancer and I am left wondering what role the GARDASIL
    HPV vaccination played in the hasty onset."  (ID: 319836)
    
--  "After receiving her second dose of GARDASIL... she could crawl but...
    needed to use crutches or a wheel chair... She was experienced problems
    breathing and had 'super migraines' that never went away... She had
    swelling in her face, jaw and wrists.  The patient was diagnosed with
    GUILLAIN-BARRE syndrome, myelin sheath degeneration and peripheral
    neuropathy.  Patient was hospitalized twice... patient has not recovered
    from symptoms."  (ID: 318052)
    
--  A 19-year-old girl with no medical history immediately experienced
    side effects after receiving the Gardasil vaccine.  Within eleven days her
    symptoms included "Aggression, Arthralgia, Complex partial seizures,
    Confusional state, Convulsion, Crying, Dizziness, Epilepsy, Fatigue,
    Feeling abnormal, Grand mal convulsion, Immediate post-injection reaction,
    Irritability, Myalgia, Nausea, Pain, Postictal state, Somnolence, Syncope,
    Tremor, and Unresponsive to stimuli."  (ID: 320598)
    
--  "Two weeks after the third dose, the patient developed a complication.
    She was taken to the hospital by ambulance but passed away during the
    transport from an unknown cause...Upon arrival in ER unresponsive, pupils
    fixed and dilated, no cardiac activity.  Resuscitation unsuccessful and
    patient expired."  (ID: 314769)
    

The FDA VAERS reports show that since last June, 235 cases detailed permanent disability. There were also 29 new cases of Guillain-Barre Syndrome, and 147 cases of "spontaneous abortions," or miscarriages, when the vaccine was given to pregnant women.

Moreover, 62 girls developed warts after receiving the vaccine. This development is of particular concern because Gardasil, which is designed to prevent two strains of genital warts, is not supposed to react with other HPV strains. However, not only did previously healthy women experience genital warts after the vaccination, but 21 girls developed warts on other areas, most commonly the face, hands and feet, and in one case, "all over her body." (ID: 330671)

Of the 47 reported deaths, 41 occurred within a month of receiving the vaccine and of those deaths, 17 were within two weeks of receiving the vaccine. In most of the deaths the cause is still unknown.

"The FDA is supposed to be a guardian of public health, and yet the agency continues to turn a blind eye to what seems to be an extremely serious public health problem. The public relations push for Gardasil by Merck, politicians and public health officials needs to pause so that these adverse reactions can be further studied," said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. "The already serious problems associated with Gardasil seem to be getting worse. No one should require this vaccine for young children."

These reports can be read in full at www.judicialwatch.org.

Contact Information: Contact: Jill Farrell 202-646-5188