Helen Murdoch of The Press reports that health officials are still waiting for the coroner’s report looking into whether the recent death of a teenage girl was due Gardasil.
The vaccine, which protects against cervical cancer, was taken by a teenager who died in her sleep six months after completing her final dose.
An excerpt: (read in full here)
“Rhonda Renata said her daughter’s health started to deteriorate after her first Gardasil injection in September 2008.
“About 88,500 females have received the vaccine since the programme started in 2008, including 11,212 in Canterbury.
“It will be offered to 90,000 young women this year.
“Immunisation Advisory Centre head Nikki Turner, of Auckland University, said no international research linked Gardasil to teenage deaths.
“There was a potential risk of allergic reaction.
“”We can never be 100 per cent safe, but on this we have the best safety data available.”
“The safety sheet on Gardasil advises that women who do suffer allergic reactions should not receive another dose.”