Subject: Schoolgirl dies after cancer jab

September 28, 2009 - Frankie Dolan

Comment: American statistics (32 deaths and 772 reports of serious side effects so far) warned us that it was only a matter of time before we see some deaths in the UK, as in the USA, but I am so dreadfully sorry for this poor girl and her family. Not only that, but angry at the UK government that they can take a decision on people's lives like this, weighing up that some girls will likely die from this vaccine, but 'apparently' more saved. One life lost in this way is tragic and should never have happened.

The fact that girls have died from the HPV vaccine is kept from parents when they give consent to their daughters receiving this vaccine; probably because the data was mostly from the USA and the vaccine was largely a different brand (Gardasil instead of Ceravix) that they were able to get away with holding back this information. Certainly there is no mention of the fact that this vaccine can result in death in the literature that is given to parents - ok, death was anticipated only in very rare circumstances, but when your plan is to vaccinate all the young girls in the country, that does mean a handful of deaths. Is this acceptable? If it was your daughter that had their life taken from them in this way, how would you feel?

Correction added: Early autopsy reports suggest that the cause of death may be a tumour in the chest, not the vaccine. Still tragic for this family, but gives me some reassurance that this vaccine may not be so dangerous. However, looking at other previous reports (of death and serious side effects) related to the HPV vaccine I still have a lot of concerns. When such large contracts are involved in mass vaccination programs it is hard to know who to trust and disturbing facts I believe are usually slow to emerge.