Merck Seeks to Trim Claims in Gardasil Vaccine Injury Lawsuits

Gardasil maker Merck & Co. asked a federal court to narrow lawsuits over its HPV vaccine, saying some claims are barred by a special vaccine injury law and others aren’t properly pleaded.

Payton Bergin and Ashley America allege the shot caused various side effects. Their suits are part of federal multidistrict proceedings before Judge Robert J. Conrad Jr. of the US District Court for the Western District of North Carolina.

• The National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act expressly bars design-defect claims against vaccine manufacturers, Merck told the court in a filing Tuesday
• The vaccine law established an administrative process for injury ...