Six of the 39 respondents died. All six had complained of chronic fatigue, combined with various combinations of dizziness, headaches, skin disorders and other symptoms. Statistician James Garrett found that the timing of the deaths (five after the third shot) could not be coincidental, concluding that “…the hypothesis that Gardasil is not related to any of [the six deaths] is not tenable.”

The vaccine, which protects against the human papilloma virus, is currently required for all sixth-grade girls in D.C., Maryland and Virginia, as well as many other states. Parents may opt out, but few are aware of the risks.