Obama HHS Sued for Records of Payouts to Recipients of HPV Vaccines

I cannot imagine what information the Obama administration is trying to keep secret regarding Gardasil, a vaccine for the sexually transmitted disease human papillomavirus (HPV), because what we know so far from the records we’ve already uncovered is truly frightening.

Since 2007, Judicial Watch has uncovered government records documenting thousands of adverse reactions associated with the vaccine, including seizures, paralysis, blindness, pancreatitis, speech problems, short-term memory loss, Guillain-Barré Syndrome, and even death. 

We initiated an investigation of HPV vaccine Gardasil after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) fast-tracked the vaccine through the approval process in 2006 and started trying to mandate the vaccine’s use for young girls and boys.

I think it’s fair to say that our investigation has led to a deeper public understanding of the risks associated with the vaccine, which we consider a tremendous public service.

But Judicial Watch’s philosophy is that more information is better; now we want to get some records related to the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP), a program that compensates patients who have been adversely affected by certain vaccines, including Gardasil.

The response from the Obama administration? Nothing but silence.

As a result, Judicial Watch was once again forced to do what we always do in the face of Obama stonewalling–we filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the Obama Administration’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Here’s what we’re after pursuant to our November 1, 2012, FOIA request filed with the Health Resources and Services Administration, a component of HHS:

1. Any and all records regarding, concerning, or related to the inclusion of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines as covered vaccines under the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP).

2. Any and all records depicting the number of claims filed under the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) for injuries or deaths allegedly associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines.

3. Any and all records depicting the amount of compensation paid to claimants under the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) pursuant to claims related to injuries or deaths allegedly associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines.

The agency acknowledged receipt of our FOIA request on November 2, 2012. By law, HHS was required to respond no later than December 4, 2012. However, as of the date of Judicial Watch’s lawsuit, the agency has failed to provide responsive documents, indicate when a response is forthcoming, or notify Judicial Watch why the records should be exempted from disclosure.

VICP is a HHS program that compensates patients who have been adversely affected by certain vaccines. The HHS web site describes the program as a “no-fault alternative to the traditional tort system,” and it covers 16 specific classes of vaccines, including HPV vaccines which were added in 2007.

Why are we after these records? Because we think the number of successful claims made under the VICP to victims of HPV will provide further information for the American people about the dangers of the vaccine, including the number of well-substantiated cases of adverse reactions.

And let me tell you, the track record of this vaccine is truly horrible. Let me show you what I mean by sharing with you just a few excerpts from the adverse event reports we’ve previously uncovered:

• The information was received from the patient’s mother… concerning her healthy 14 year old daughter who in August 2007, January 2008, and June 2008, was vaccinated with a first, second and third dose of GARDASIL… It was reported that the patient experienced several symptoms including numbness and tingling in her fingers and toes, fatigue, a really hard time falling asleep, urinary tract infections, ovarian cyst, moody, trouble getting out of bed and seizures. The patient had had upwards of 150 seizures following her third shot in June 2008. During her seizures she stopped breathing for periods of 30 to 40 seconds. The patient was diagnosed with Neurocardiogenic syndrome and seizures. It was reported that the patient died due to ovarian cyst. The reporter felt that the patient’s symptoms were related to vaccination with GARDASIL.

• Additional information was received from a newspaper article concerning a 18-year-old female…who on 10-MAY-2007 was vaccinated with GARDASIL… in the right arm… The patient who was a college freshman travelled on 05-OCT-2007 to visit her family for the weekend. The patient reportedly felt “slightly ill” upon her arrival and subsequently took an aspirin and went to bed awakening at 1:30 PM the following afternoon “appearing refreshed”. The patient became feverish again that night and woke at 1:00 AM the morning of 07-OCT-2007 with chills and a severe headache complaining that “my headache is about to explode”. The patient was taken to a local hospital, where a brain computed axial tomography (CAT) scan was performed and the brain revealed meningococcal disease in her brain and brain stem. The patient was immediately transferred to another hospital and died the evening of 07-OCT-2007 due to complications of meningitis.

• Information has been received from a physician regarding a 15 year old female who on 26-SEP-2007 was vaccinated with her second dose of GARDASIL for prevention of HPV… Thirty minutes after the vaccination, the patient experienced a headache and that night went home and slept until the next morning. The patient woke up the next day and went to school. The school nurse called the patient’s mother and informed her that the patient felt tingling in both hands. Later that day, the patient was again sent to the nurse’s office due to a shaking sensation all over. Later that evening, things became worse and the patient started crying from the pain and burning in her back. The patient was taken to the emergency room by her parents. In the emergency room, the patient collapsed and was not able to walk; she was paralyzed from the waist down. It was reported that the patient was hospitalized for two months.

According to the Annals of Medicine: “At present there are no significant data showing that either Gardasil or Cervarix (GlaxoSmithKline) can prevent any type of cervical cancer since the testing period employed was too short to evaluate long-term benefits of HPV vaccination.” See more here.

From the very beginning, the federal government has attempted to shield the public from the significant safety concerns about Gardasil. Instead of pushing Gardasil on young girls and boys, the Obama administration should pull the vaccine off the shelf and immediately undertake a full safety review. Step one would be to respond to our FOIA request and release all records detailing the adverse reactions to the vaccine, including information related to these HPV vaccine payouts.

If you want more information, you can read the records we obtained from the government’s Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) for yourself here. Or you could also read Judicial Watch’s special report, published in 2008, detailing Gardasil’s approval process, side effects, safety concerns and marketing practices. Be warned: the information contained in these materials is very graphic and disturbing–all the more reason for the Obama administration to come clean.