Picture courtesy of Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman
US Attorneys, Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman, filed a lawsuit yesterday on behalf of Michael “Mike” Colbath, a 21-year-old from San Diego, California, who alleges Merck's HPV vaccine, Gardasil, caused him to develop debilitating and disabling injuries.
The complaint accuses Merck of negligence, manufacturing defects, and failure to warn of dangerous side effects related to its HPV vaccine.
The complaint accuses Merck of negligence, manufacturing defects, and failure to warn of dangerous side effects related to its HPV vaccine.
Baum Hedlund, who have a history of successful cases against drug companies, are seeking punitive damages against Merck for allegedly making conscious decisions to not warn or inform the unsuspecting public about serious health risks associated with the vaccine.
Co-counsel attorney Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. had this to say:
“Just like with Vioxx, Merck put Gardasil profits over patient safety and now countless children and young people are facing inescapable health issues. At a certain point, you have to ask – what’s it going to take to stop this reckless disregard for their consumers?”
Mike Colbath received the Gardasil HPV vaccine at the age of 14. In the months that followed, he began to have trouble staying awake for the latter part of the school day.
A second shot followed and he developed severe foot pain in both feet, the pain became so intolerable that Mike, a once budding Eagle Boy Scout described as an "expert outdoorsman", had to use crutches to walk and, eventually, became too weak to support himself. These adverse events were on top of his hypersomnolence caused by the first shot.
“Just like with Vioxx, Merck put Gardasil profits over patient safety and now countless children and young people are facing inescapable health issues. At a certain point, you have to ask – what’s it going to take to stop this reckless disregard for their consumers?”
Mike Colbath received the Gardasil HPV vaccine at the age of 14. In the months that followed, he began to have trouble staying awake for the latter part of the school day.
A second shot followed and he developed severe foot pain in both feet, the pain became so intolerable that Mike, a once budding Eagle Boy Scout described as an "expert outdoorsman", had to use crutches to walk and, eventually, became too weak to support himself. These adverse events were on top of his hypersomnolence caused by the first shot.
Mike did not receive the third shot after his pediatrician felt that the severe foot pain may have been caused by the vaccine.
Since then, Mike has been seen by multiple physicians and specialists for his complaints which now include: migraine headaches; body pains and muscle aches; chronic fatigue; hypersomnolence (sleeping 15-22 hours in a 24-hour period), sleep drunkenness, unrefreshing sleep; excessive sweating, lightheadedness, and tachycardia; tunnel vision on standing; difficulty with concentration and memory; confusion and brain fog; intermittent or episodic paralysis, numbness; and stomach pains.
The lawsuit claims that Merck committed scientific fraud during the Gardasil clinical trials and deceived the FDA before the vaccine was brought to market. Baum Hedlund attorny, Nicole K.H. Maldonado, said, “The deception continues to this day, as current vaccine safety and long-term efficacy assurances are based on clinical studies that were fraudulently designed and conducted to conceal safety risks.”
Since then, Mike has been seen by multiple physicians and specialists for his complaints which now include: migraine headaches; body pains and muscle aches; chronic fatigue; hypersomnolence (sleeping 15-22 hours in a 24-hour period), sleep drunkenness, unrefreshing sleep; excessive sweating, lightheadedness, and tachycardia; tunnel vision on standing; difficulty with concentration and memory; confusion and brain fog; intermittent or episodic paralysis, numbness; and stomach pains.
The lawsuit claims that Merck committed scientific fraud during the Gardasil clinical trials and deceived the FDA before the vaccine was brought to market. Baum Hedlund attorny, Nicole K.H. Maldonado, said, “The deception continues to this day, as current vaccine safety and long-term efficacy assurances are based on clinical studies that were fraudulently designed and conducted to conceal safety risks.”
You can read more about Mike's plight, and other Gardasil lawsuits filed, here and here.
Bob Fiddaman
