Merck is settling a lawsuit that went to trial in 2025 and alleged its human papillomavirus (HPV) caused a number of health problems, including Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome.
Jennifer Robi, who sued Merck in 2016 for fraud, negligent misrepresentation, and failure to warn, has entered into a settlement with Merck, Michael Baum, one of the attorneys representing Robi, told The Epoch Times via email on June 9.
“Ms. Robi’s claims have been resolved,” he said.
Terms of the settlement, and settlements reached in similar cases, are confidential, the lawyer said.
Merck did not respond to requests for comment by the time of publication.
The New Jersey-based company had said in February that in October 2025, it “entered into a proposed agreement with plaintiffs’ counsel to substantially resolve the Gardasil product liability litigation” and that the proposed agreement would cost the company “a total payment that is considerably less than Merck’s anticipated costs of defense in the litigation and that is not material to Merck.”
The HPV vaccine, or Gardasil, is for males and females aged 9 to 45 to prevent certain kinds of cancer. Gardasil is a big moneymaker for Merck, drawing $2.6 billion in the United States alone in 2025.
Robi sued Merck in 2016, after a federal vaccine injury court denied her request for compensation for alleged vaccine injuries suffered following three doses of Merck’s HPV vaccine. She accused Merck of not conducting a proper scientific study of the vaccine, and promoted Gardasil as crucial for young women even though the vaccine only works for several years and only against certain HPV strains.
Robi said she suffered serious reactions to the vaccine and was later diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, which she believes was caused by the shot.
That syndrome is not listed on regulatory labeling for Gardasil. The labels outline adverse reactions recorded after vaccination in clinical trials, including headache, fever, and a life-threatening asthma attack, some of which investigators said were caused by the vaccine.
A trial in the Robi case started in state court in Los Angeles in 2025, but was put on hold at Robi’s request over concerns that Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation hearings to become health secretary would influence the jury.
Kennedy referred cases to Wisner Baum, which represented Robi and others, and received referral fees. Before he was confirmed, he said he would shift payments to a family member. He formally withdrew from the case on Feb. 18, 2025.
The trial was slated to resume later that year, but it kept being pushed back.
Robi filed a request for dismissal on May 27.
Robi previously settled with Kaiser Foundation Hospitals over allegations that the institution was negligent in administering the vaccine.