Scientific Evaluation of the Court Evidence Submitted to the 2019 Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Libel Case and Its Decision in Japan

Frontiers in Medicine

article

Jason M. Bodily¹  Ikuo Tsunoda¹  J. Steven Alexander⁴ 

[1] Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - Shreveport, United States;Center for Molecular and Tumor Virology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - Shreveport, United States;Department of Microbiology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine;Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - Shreveport, United States

关键词: animal model;    anti-vaccination;    anti-vax;    HANS;    HPV vaccination associated neuro-immunopathic syndrome;    vaccine hesitancy;    viral model;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fmed.2020.00377

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infects the skin and other body surfaces causing warts and other benign growths (1). Although most HPV infections are eliminated by the immune system without complications, some HPV-induced growths can progress to cancer. HPV-induced cancers, including cervical cancer and oropharyngeal cancer, are responsible for over 300,000 deaths annually worldwide (2), making HPV infection a major public health problem. Several HPV vaccines have been shown to safely and effectively prevent infection by cancer-causing HPV types, thus preventing the antecedent growths that inevitably lead to cervical cancer (3, 4). In Japan, HPV vaccines were initially introduced in 2011, and became routinely used in 2013 when the vaccination rate approached ∼70%; however, after only two and a half months, the Japanese government suspended proactive recommendation of HPV vaccination. The suspension was based on clinical reports of suspected adverse events from a few girls after HPV vaccination. Testimonials from these girls and medical doctors in Japan were repeatedly broadcasted on TV, creating public fear of the vaccine which prompted withdrawal of government support (5).

【 授权许可】

CC BY