Riko Muranaka

Riko Muranaka (村中 璃子, Muranaka Riko) is a medical doctor, journalist and recipient of the 2017 John Maddox Prize for fighting to reduce cervical cancer and countering misinformation about the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine dominating the Japanese media, despite facing safety threats.

[1][2][3][4] Despite the lack of evidence, the HPV vaccine is infamous in Japan due to misattributed adverse effects, with government suspending promotion and coverage.

[4][1][6] Muranaka intends to appeal, also stating that she needs to win the lawsuit for science and that the court case was still an opportunity to make friends and gain recognition despite its negative aspects.

[6] According to Heidi Larson, director of the Vaccine Confidence Project at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, "I think what is important is that media coverage does not distort the point and imply Dr. Ikeda's science won: It was Dr. Muranaka's manners and language that lost".

[5] In November 2021 the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare of Japan finally resumed active recommendations of the HPV.