Lawsuit Alleges That Gardasil Maker Emphasized Profit Over Safety

An attorney with Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman, Michael Lin Baum focuses on complex litigation cases involving major pharmaceutical companies, consumer fraud, personal injury, and wrongful death. Michael Lin Baum’s current areas of focus include cases centered on Gardasil, which the FDA approved in 2006 as a vaccine for human papillomavirus, or HPV.

Lawsuit allegations lay out a compelling argument that the Gardasil vaccine is not safe. Merck & Co. allegedly did not conduct proper tests and clinical trials; instead, it fast-tracked the approval process, which led to the vaccine being administered to millions of young people worldwide. Lawsuit claims hold that Merck had reason to know, or had knowledge of, the ineffectiveness and defective nature of the product. Rather than proactively inform the health care community and public at large, Merck made false statements regarding safety and efficacy, and concealed data.

One lawyer alleges that profit was a motive, as Merck made billions of dollars by reaching out to young girls’ parents with false claims that Gardasil could eliminate cervical cancer risks, even without forwarding verifiable proof. Thousands of severe injuries reportedly occurred after individuals took the Gardasil vaccine, leading to what has been described as “a calamitous health disaster.”

Are Boys and Men Also Injured by the Gardasil Vaccine?

The firm Baum, Hedlund, Aristei & Goldman, led by lawyer Michael Lin Baum, has won thousands of personal injury and wrongful death claims related to pharmaceuticals and harmful consumer products. With over 30 years of experience as an attorney, Michael Lin Baum now represents individuals harmed by the Gardasil HPV vaccine.

While Gardasil was originally designed for young women and girls, the drug’s developer, Merck & Co., has made an enormous profit by targeting young men and parents of boys too. Men across the country are now vaccinated with an HPV vaccine that is both allegedly linked to severe disorders and under scrutiny for lack of evidence proving it’s safe.

Baum Hedlund has filed a lawsuit against Merck & Co. on behalf of a man with lifestyle-altering and life-threatening injuries. The plaintiff started experiencing complications after receiving the HPV vaccine, including chronic fatigue, pain, memory and cognitive issues, and leg weakness and tremors. The plaintiff currently cannot walk for even a short distance without a cane. He tested positive for POTS, a severe autoimmune disorder that causes lower blood volume, headaches, and various life-changing health issues.

Lawsuit Launched Alleging Link Between Zantac and Cancer

A managing partner at Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman in Los Angeles, California, attorney Michael Lin Baum has received multiple awards for his legal work. In 2019, the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 recognized Michael and his team as the Trial Team of the Year in the Mass Torts category. Recently, Michael Lin Baum’s team has filed a lawsuit alleging that the heartburn medication Zantac contains a chemical that causes cancer.

Also known as ranitidine hydrochloride, Zantac is prescribed not only as a remedy for stomach acid but also for gastric reflux, heartburn, and other gastrointestinal and throat problems. Since the 1980s, research has shown that one ingredient – N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) – may be carcinogenic.

In September 2019, the Food and Drug Administration said it was investigating the possibility that a 150 mg dose of Zantac exposes patients to 3,000 times the recommended daily dosage of NDMA. The lawsuit seeks damages for two plaintiffs in California and Pennsylvania. Defending the charges are five manufacturers: Boehringer Ingelheim, Sanofi, Chattem, Pfizer, and GlaxoSmithKline.

Celexa and Birth Defects – An Area of Legal Focus

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Michael Lin Baum is a respected Southern California lawyer who engages as managing partner with Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman. Taking on major corporations, Michael Lin Baum has represented numerous plaintiffs in pharmaceutical drug catastrophe cases.

One area of focus centers on birth defects associated with the antidepressant Citalopram, which is marketed as Celexa. The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) is prescribed in treating conditions such as premenstrual dysphoric disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Produced by Forest Laboratories, Celexa is marketed alongside the pharmacologically similar, but more potent SSRI Lexapro.

Celexa was initially classified by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a category C drug that had not been tested on pregnant women, but which had harmful side effects demonstrated through animal testing on fetuses. In 2005, the FDA issued a Public Health Advisory focused on SSRI antidepressants, and the following year a specific warning was issued against Celexa.

In particular, newborns are more likely to be born with life-threatening persistent pulmonary hypertension. This issue is the focus of Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman’s work concerning the link between Celexa prescriptions and birth defects.