A European review into the side-effects of the cervical cancer vaccine is to be launched, it has been announced.
The vaccine, against the human papillomavirus, has so far been given to some 72 million people worldwide, mainly girls entering their teenage years.
The European Medicines Agency says there is no doubt that the benefits of the vaccine outweigh any risks.
But it says the review will help establish whether there are real side-effects caused by the vaccines.
There have been several reports of two problems affecting patients who have received the vaccine.
One is complex regional pain syndrome, the other is postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, which leads to dizziness and fainting.
A spokesman for the agency said: "Reports of these conditions in young women who have received an HPV vaccine have been previously considered during routine safety monitoring by the Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee – but a causal link between them and the vaccines was not established.
"Both conditions can occur in non-vaccinated individuals and it is considered important to further review if the number of cases reported with HPV vaccine is greater than would be expected."
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