Judicial Watch, which bills itself as a conservative public interest group that “advocates high standards of ethics and morality in our nation’s public life,” is again making news by releasing FDA side effect reports showing an increase in adverse events attributed to Merk's HPV vaccine. The group did the same thing last May, so it’s not surprising the tally rose, given that Gardasil has been more widely administered since then.

Nonetheless, Judicial Watch says that, after obtaining the info through a Freedom of Information Act request, the FDA received 1,824 adverse reaction reports, including as many as eight deaths. Previously, the group received 1,637 such reports and notes that a total of 11 deaths are now among the side effect reports to the agency. You can read the reports by visiting the group’s web site.

“In light of this information, it is disturbing that state and local governments might mandate in any way this vaccine for young girls,” says Tom Fitton of Judicial Watch, which is also suing the FDA for not responding to the entire FOIA request. “These adverse reaction reports suggest the vaccine not only causes serious side effects, but might even be fatal.”

This is, essentially, another front in the battle against Gardasil. By issuing such press releases, Judicial Watch not only caters to its core constituency - social conservatives who worry the HPV vaccine will be seen as a green light to premarital sex among teenagers - but also plays on the concerns of parents who are undecided whether to vaccine adolescent girls (Gardasil isn’t yet approved for teenage boys) and question mandated vaccination.

Even some Gardasil researchers question mandates, while the CDC has lined up solidly behind vaccination, in general. The challenge for Merck, which of course wants to boost sales, is to find a way to promote Gardasil without appearing heavy-handed or sleazy , which happened earlier this year when a lobbying campaign was disclosed. Fighting reports of death, however, may not be easy.