Are HPV vaccines insanely dangerous?

A video featuring RFK Jr. claims that the HPV vaccine is extremely dangerous, was not properly tested, causes more deaths than cervical cancer, and that the company covered up serious health risks by manipulating study data.

The claims about HPV vaccines ignore extensive scientific research from around the world. Studies have shown that the vaccine is very safe and works well to prevent cancers caused by HPV. Before it was approved, the vaccine went through careful testing, and large studies continue to prove its safety.

The assertion that cervical cancer poses no risk to preteens and teens is misleading. HPV, the virus that causes cervical cancer, is commonly spread during adolescence and young adulthood, and getting the vaccine before being exposed to HPV gives the best protection. According to the CDC, widespread HPV vaccination programs have already led to big drops in HPV infections and pre-cancerous conditions, lowering the risk of cancer later in life.

There’s no evidence for the claim that HPV vaccine trials had a death rate “37 times higher” than cervical cancer death. In fact, multiple research studies have found no increased risk of death or of severe events such as GBS or POTS from HPV vaccines compared to the general population.

The World Health Organization guides the ethical use of placebos in vaccine trials in certain situations. It is acceptable when no effective vaccine is available, and the new vaccine is intended to benefit the population being studied. However, using placebos is considered unacceptable when there is already an effective and safe vaccine accessible in the public health system of the country where the trial is planned. In such cases, it would be unethical to withhold the existing vaccine from participants if not receiving it would pose a significant risk to their health.

In some trials, researchers give a control an aluminum-adjuvant containing placebo instead of a saline placebo. Receiving a placebo with an aluminum adjuvant would feel different than receiving a pure saline placebo. Researchers choose these placebos to keep the trial randomized and blinded.

Many vaccines use aluminum-based adjuvants to help boost the immune response. These adjuvants have been well-studied for safety and are safe in small amounts. Importantly, other studies have used saline placebos for HPV vaccines, and they found no difference in serious side effects between the vaccine and placebo groups.