Legal precedent in Colombia: Landmark decision for HPV vaccine survivor
by Norma Erickson
A 15 year-old survivor of HPV vaccination, living in El Carmen de Bolivar, Colombia, South America, is the recipient of the first judgment issued by any High Court in the country in a case regarding complications occurring after HPV vaccination. In this landmark decision the court ruled that the fundamental rights of this girl and her newborn daughter have to be protected by Colombian health authorities.
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According to the High Court of Cartagena (the capital of Bolivar):
The Ministry of Health and Social Protection of Colombia, the Secretary of Health of Bolivar and EPPS-S Mutual self must deploy, within the 48 hours following this decision, the necessary measures to offer to the girl and her child all specialized medical services they require in a high complexity healthcare institution regardless of any limitations established by the Public Health Plan (POS). In addition, these authorities have to specially follow up these patients’ medical conditions through an interdisciplinary team and verify complaints made by their family about medical side effects allegedly occurred after human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination.
The legal representative of the EPS Mutual Self (the girl’s health provider) must pay all specialized medical services the teenager and her daughter need.
The suspension of the third dose of the HPV vaccine to the adolescent, this decision will remain in effect until the child and family, properly advised, decide to continue with this procedure.
Attorney Monica Leon Del Rio, counsel for the teenager, states:
This young girl began to suffer certain symptoms in March 2014 after the administration of the second dose of Gardasil, supplied by the Government to prevent HPV infections. The young girl still suffers with leg pain, chest pain, headaches, difficulty breathing, numbness in her legs and fainting followed by waking without knowledge of where she is or the ability to recognize who is around her.
Attorney Leon Del Rio’s client in this case is one of hundreds of girls reporting ‘mysterious’ symptoms beginning shortly after receiving the second injection of Gardasil.
According to Attorney Leon Del Rio, this judgment indicates a high level of concern for the citizens of Bolivar and the number of children who suffer serious health complications which may very well be a result of the use of HPV vaccines.
Monica Leon Del Rio is no stranger to the HPV vaccine controversy. She is the mother of a young woman who experienced paralysis and some medical dysfunctions after the administration of HPV vaccine in January 2013. Her family’s experience prompted this Barranquilla-born lawyer to dedicate herself to making sure other children who have been similarly affected after Gardasil injections are properly cared for.
She is currently representing at least 50 other girls from El Carmen de Bolivar who are exhibiting new medical conditions after using HPV vaccines. Her mission is to ensure survivors of HPV vaccinations receive proper medical diagnosis and treatment.
Photo Credit: Picture published by the Colombian Daily Newspaper El Tiempo, on September 3, 2014. Signs say: “We want a solution”, “Vaccines that kill and organized crime”, “We want healthy girls without the side effects of the vaccines of the HPV”, and finally, “Mass suggestion but in the Ministry of Health because of the 400 girls, victims of the vaccine.”
Sources:
Norma Erickson is the President of SaneVax, Inc., where this article first appeared.
