Another doctor weighs in against Gardasil vaccine
August 18th, 2010 by Wendi Lewis
The Green Valley News & Sun recently published a column by Dr. Charles Barta, a retired physician and medical director for health care insurers. He also previously served in a management position with Pfizer pharmaceutical company, in the Medical Systems Division. This physician weighed in on the benefits vs. risks of the Gardasil vaccine, manufactured by Merck & Company and marketed as a preventive treatment against cervical cancer. Merck recommends the vaccine for girls as young as 9, and many states are jumping on the bandwagon to mandate the vaccine for school-age children. Dr. Barta warns that the risks of Gardasil may outweigh any possible benefits, and cautions against a knee-jerk reaction advocating for mandatory vaccinations.
Dr. Barta acknowledges that the Gardasil vaccine is effective against four types of Human Papillomavirus (HPV), two of which are linked to 70 percent of cervical cancers. HPV is transmitted sexually. However, he points out, data supports the fact that about 90 percent of HPV cases are cured by the body’s own defenses, never developing into cancer. Additionally, medical evidence bears out that cervical cancer is an extremely slowly developing cancer, and that women who receive regular PAP tests can be easily diagnosed, treated and cured when early pre-cancerous indicators are detected.
“When the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, geared to low-income women, was implemented, a dramatic drop in cervical cancer resulted,” he writes. “Most cervical cancer deaths occur in women who have never been screened or had a Pap smear within the last five years. The cure for cervical cancer is largely early detection of cell changes years before a cancer develops,” he says.
On the other hand, any vaccine carries with it inherent risks for adverse events. And, even if young women are not injured by the vaccine, Dr. Barta points out that mandatory vaccinations at the very least will incur huge economic costs.
“Even if Gardasil proves to be completely safe, is there evidence of benefits above regular screening to justify the huge cost of widespread vaccinations?” he asks.
Because the effectiveness of Gardasil is estimated to last only about five years, girls would not only need to receive the initial series of vaccines, but also theoretically some type of booster shot after its efficacy period. Also, he points out, the marketing of Gardasil is now being expanded to include young boys and men. This increases the likelihood of additional reports of adverse side effects, as well as additional expense for states mandating the vaccine.
Ultimately, Dr. Barta says, the vaccine doesn’t make sense as a mandatory treatment for young people, as HPV is not communicable in the same way that other childhood illnesses are, or even the flu.
“This is not a communicable disease in the sense that the flu, measles, etc. are,” he writes. “You don’t walk into a crowded room and catch it. A non-sexually active 17-year-old girl can’t catch it.”