Merck Must Face Claims Alleging HPV Shot Warning Inadequate

Merck & Co. must face a man’s claims that the company failed to warn his doctors about risks associated with its Gardasil HPV vaccine, a federal court in California said.

The company won dismissal, for now, of Michael Colbath’s other claims—alleging manufacturing defect, breach of warranty, and fraud—but the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California said he may amend his complaint.

Colbath, then 14, received his first two doses of Gardasil in 2014. The vaccine is given to prevent human papillomavirus, believed to cause cervical cancer. Colbath’s fatigue and pain following the first two doses led his ...