A group of parents who believe their teenage girls developed serious health problems after they were given the HPV vaccine (Gardasil) will officially launch a support group this weekend.
The group, Reaction and Effects of Gardasil Resulting in Extreme Trauma (REGRET) claim their children are not receiving effective medical treatment and cannot attend school regularly due to the debilitating health conditions they believe were caused by the vaccine.
The human pappilomavirus (HPV) vaccine has been offered to all girls in first year in second level schools since 2014. Its makers say Gardasil protects against the types of HPV that cause seven out of 10 of all cervical cancers.
Some of the most common side effects reported include headaches, nausea and fatigue. However REGRET claim that their children have suffered more serious reactions.
Sharing her story on the group's
website, Louth mum Karen Smyth says her daughter's health began to deteriorate within weeks of having the injection:
"Laura was becoming tired all the time, her short term memory and concentration were deteriorating. She also started to experience food intolerances for the first time, in particular, yeast, gluten and dairy. Laura suffered visual disturbances and noise sensitivity. Burning muscles and joint pain were her constant companion. She was unable to continue with sports."
According to the
HSE, Gardasil has a good safety record overall: 'It has been tried and tested in large clinical studies which lasted more than a decade and which included over 25,000 subjects in 33 countries.' reads a statement on their website.
