Gardasil Injection Side Effects Caused Autoimmune Ailments, Allergy to Gluten: Lawsuit

A Virginia woman has filed a product liability lawsuit alleging that Gardasil injection side effects caused her to develop an allergy to gluten, as well as other autoimmune ailments that have left her with ongoing health problems.

The complaint (PDF) was filed by Kaitlyn Wilson on November 9 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina, indicating that Merck & Co. actively concealed potential problems with the HPV vaccine throughout the clinical trial stage of the drug’s development, and continues to hide information about the risks to this day.

Gardasil was introduced by Merck in 2006, and has been widely used to protect against HPV infections, which can be sexually transmitted and lead to the later development of cervical cancer. The Gardasil injection has been promoted for use among both young girls and boys before sexual activity, and is now recommended by most medical providers, since they believed it carries few, if any, serious side effects.

However, Wilson and a growing number of other individuals are now pursuing Gardasil lawsuits indicate that they have been left with permanent and life-changing autoimmune ailments and disorders after receiving the vaccination.

Wilson was 22 years old when she received a series of Gardasil injections, as a means of preventing HPV and cervical cancer. The lawsuit indicates neither she nor her doctor were warned of the potential risk of autoimmune, autonomic and neurological injuries linked to the vaccine.

“Following her second Gardasil vaccine, Plaintiff experienced disabling excruciating pelvis pain, abdominal cramping, excessive bleeding, leg numbness, hot sweats, night sweating, and she developed an allergy to gluten,” the lawsuit states. “As a result of her post-Gardasil symptoms, Plaintiff has been unable to engage in activities that a young person her age would normally enjoy. Plaintiff enjoyed hiking and long walks. Now she finds it difficult to function in her daily life.”

As time went on, Wilson indicates that her injuries progressed, and she continues to suffer from chronic and severe post-Gardasil side effects, including the gluten allergy, pelvis pain, abdominal cramping, excessive bleeding, and more. The lawsuit notes that these side effects are similar to other autoimmune, autonomic and neurological disorders patients have reported suffering after Gardasil injections.

November 2023 Gardasil Lawsuit Update

Wilson’s complaint will be consolidated with about 100 other similar lawsuits over the HPV vaccine that are currently pending in the federal court system, which have been centralized as part of a Gardasil MDL (multidistrict litigation) in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina.

There are also a substantial number of additional claims pending in the U.S. Vaccine Court, where families must initially bring a petition seeking compensation under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, before they are able to bring a civil lawsuit if the claim is not resolved within eight months.

Given common questions of fact and law presented in the Gardasil injection lawsuits, U.S. District Judge Robert J. Conrad is presiding over coordinated discovery and pretrial proceedings, which is expected to involve a series of early bellwether trials designed to help gauge how juries are likely to respond to certain evidence and testimony that will be repeated throughout the litigation.

While the parties work to prepare a group of Gardasil cases for trial, injury lawyers are continuing to investigate and file new lawsuits for individuals who experienced a variety of complications from the HPV vaccine, including:

• Autoimmune Diseases
• POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome)
• Premature Ovarian Failure
• Premature Menopause
• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
• Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP)
• Irregular Heartbeat/Tachycardia
• Lupus
• Neurologic Disorder
• Brain Fog or Chronic Inability to Concentrate
• Chronic Fatigue
• Chronic Pain
• Severe Headaches
• Difficulty Sleeping
• Fibromyalgia
• Nerve Damage
• Menstrual Disorders/Problems
• Gastrointestinal Issues (food intolerances, nausea, vomiting)

Following coordinated discovery and any bellwether trials in the federal MDL, if the parties fail to reach Gardasil settlements or another resolution for the litigation, Judge Conrad may later establish a process to begin remanding each individual claim back to U.S. District Courts nationwide for individual trial dates in the future.