Federal Judge Rules in Merck’s Favor in Gardasil Safety Suit (1)

A federal judge ruled in Merck & Co.’s favor in a safety lawsuit over its Gardasil vaccine, allowing the drugmaker to sidestep more than 200 cases claiming the company concealed safety risks.

The plaintiffs had argued Gardasil carries risks like heart rate increases and ovarian failure that Merck had failed to warn the public about. However, US District Judge Kenneth Bell on Monday ruled that there wasn’t sufficient evidence to make that case.

“No scientist could reasonably conclude” that there is a correlation between Gardasil and the two ailments, Bell said in the ruling, filed in court in the ...