FDA ignored residual DNA fragments in the Gardasil HPV vaccine

The HPV vaccine contains fragments of viral DNA, but FDA says it does not pose a risk to recipients

Photograph: Voisin/Phanie/Rex Features

Over the last two years, cancer genomic experts have raised concerns about the presence of residual DNA fragments in the mRNA covid-19 vaccines, saying that it has potential to increase the risk of developing cancer.

This mirrors the concerns raised several years ago about the safety of the Gardasil Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine, manufactured by Merck & Co.

In 2011, Sin Hang Lee, a pathologist and 30-year veteran in DNA analysis, made the startling discovery of synthetic DNA fragments in several vials.

“I was shocked to find DNA fragments in the HPV vaccine because DNA is not supposed to be there,” Lee recalls.