By Kurt Niland
The distribution of Merck’s human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine Gardasil has been halted in France, where a government-appointed group of immunologists and other researchers has been formed to determine if the benefits of the vaccine are worth the risks.
As in the United States, Gardasil has become a “thorny subject” in France, with many parents suspicious of the vaccine’s benefits and fearful of its risks, according to France’s Le Point.
Data pulled from the U.S. Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) shows that from the time Gardasil was introduced in 2006 until September 15, 2011, 20,096 adverse events following the vaccine were reported, including 71 deaths. Pain and swelling at the injection site, fever, dizziness, nausea, fainting, seizures, blood clots, and Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) are some of the adverse events reported to VAERS following Gardasil vaccinations.
Considering the dangers and uncertainties surrounding the Gardasil vaccine, the French parliament has recommended stalling distribution of the vaccine until a risk-benefit analysis is completed.
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