More than two dozen women and girls died in 2008 after receiving Gardasil injections. According to a press release issued by Judicial Watch, there have been a total of 47 deaths linked to Gardasil since it was brought to market in 2006.

Gardasil is a vaccination that  prevents some forms of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV).  Gardasil has been controversial because of attempts by drug manufacturer Merck to make it mandatory, and because of continuing questions about its safety.

Judicial Watch says it  has obtained records from the FDA documenting 28 deaths in 2008 associated with Gardasil, up from 19 deaths in 2007. According to the group,  the FDA documented 6,723 "adverse events" related to Gardasil in 2008, of which 1,061 were considered "serious," and 142 considered "life threatening."