Scare over possible effects of cervical cancer vaccine

-ThePost Ireland

07/13/2008- New concerns have been raised over the possible dangerous side-effects of a cervical cancer vaccine which could be introduced for use on Irish school girls.

Gardasil, which has been approved by the Irish Medicines Board, has been the subject of a scare in the US.

Thousands of complaints have been made about its side-effects since it was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) two years ago. Up to 20 deaths have been reported to the FDA, but there has been no proven link to the vaccine.

Last April, the Health Information Quality Authority (Hiqa) approved the introduction of a national cervical cancer vaccine, recommending immunisation of all girls aged 12 to 15. The Irish Medicines Board had earlier approved the use of Gardasil and it is one of the vaccines being considered as a national vaccine.

Last month, the drug company Merck, which makes Gardasil, said the FDA had completed its review of the drug and found issues which prevented ‘‘approval of the supplementary licensing of the product within expected timeframes’’ for use by women aged 27 to 45. But Merck said the FDA warning did not affect use of the vaccine in females aged between nine and 26.

Last Wednesday, Merck issued a statement saying it believed there was no safety issue with the vaccine. It claimed that the reported events occurred in the general population, even without vaccination, and said ‘‘the vast majority of adverse events’’ were not serious.

A spokesman for the Department of Health and Children said the minister would consider all of the advice made available to her and make a decision this summer.

This, he said, would ‘‘ensure that a policy decision is taken which is coherent as between the introduction of HPV vaccine and the planned national rollout of the cervical screening service, which reflects a fully integrated approach to this problem’’.

If you or a loved one have experienced serious side effects as a result of the Gardasil HPV vaccination such as blood clots, paralysis, seizures, or other Gardasil side effects, you may be entitled to compensation. Pregnant women who suffered a miscarriage or fetal abnormalities following the administration of Gardasil, should contact one of our Gardasil side effect lawyers in order to protect your rights. For more information about a potential Gardasil lawsuit, or Gardasil side effects, fill out our free case evaluation form or call the toll-free number listed below today.