A new study published in the International Journal of Risk & Safety in Medicine reveals that Merck's Gardasil clinical trials in Denmark violated medical ethics by exposing subjects in the placebo group to the company's proprietary aluminum adjuvant.
The study, co-authored by Lucija Tomljenovic, Ph.D., and Leemon B. McHenry, Ph.D., found that several girls who participated in the trials experienced chronic disabling symptoms, raising concerns about the toxic effects of the adjuvant.
The researchers also discovered that Merck misrepresented the contents of the placebo and was not transparent with regulators about the use of the adjuvant. The use of the adjuvant in both the vaccine and placebo groups hindered the discovery of vaccine-related safety signals.
Aluminum adjuvants have been associated with adverse events, but public health regulatory agencies consider them safe. However, the study found a lack of scientific data supporting their safety and noted that Merck's proprietary aluminum adjuvant is even more potent and less safe than traditional adjuvants.
The study raises questions about the ethics and safety of Merck's Gardasil vaccine and calls for a reevaluation of its benefits and risks.
