Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.

Despite outcry from parents of girls who have received the HPV vaccine Gardasil, and criticism about the vaccine’s effectiveness from one of its own creators, this month the American Academy of Pediatrics endorsed its use for boys. This follows a similar recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Critics of the vaccine, which has been linked to thousands of complaints of serious adverse side effects, are left to wonder why their voices are not being heard.

Read the rest of this entry »

A new study published in the Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine indicates girls who receive HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccines like Gardasil and Cervarix may overestimate the amount of protection the drug offers. According to the report, funded by the National Institutes of Health, some girls think they no longer have to practice safe sex after receiving the vaccination, or that they are protected from all types of HPV or protected from HPV indefinitely. In fact, vaccines such as Gardasil only protect against four of hundreds of types of HPV, and the vaccine’s effectiveness diminishes after about five to seven years.

Read the rest of this entry »

As expected, a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advisory committee this week recommended expanding the use of the Gardasil vaccine, manufactured by Merck, to include boys and young men. The vaccine, which targets the human papillomavirus (HPV), previously has been recommended for girls, as a way to prevent cervical cancer caused by certain types of HPV. Gardsil use had already been approved by the FDA to treat boys in October 2009, although it was not yet given “recommended” status. The CDC reports that approximately 32 million doses of the vaccine have been distributed in the United States since the vaccine was initially approved in 2006.

Read the rest of this entry »

In this week’s GOP Presidential debate, candidate Michele Bachmann criticized Texas Governor and presidential candidate Rick Perry for his attempt to mandate the use of Gardasil in his state. Gardasil, manufactured by Merck, is promoted as a preventive treatment against human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted virus linked to the development of cervical cancer. Following a public outcry in the state of Texas, the mandate was overturned. Bachmann objected to the mandate for political reasons, but also expressed concerns that any parent might feel about being required to give their child a relatively new vaccine, about possible adverse side effects.

Read the rest of this entry »

There is much debate about the vaccine Gardasil, which was introduced in 2006 for girls, and marketed as a weapon against cervical cancer. The vaccine actually targets human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted virus that is linked to the development of cervical cancer. While originally targeted only at girls and young women, the FDA recently expanded approval of the drug for use in boys and young men, to prevent the spread of HPV.

Read the rest of this entry »

S.A.N.E. Vax, Inc., a non-profit organization established to promote safe, affordable, necessary, effective vaccines and vaccination practices, has announced a combined effort of concerned citizens worldwide to insist on government compliance with regulations and guidelines in the implementation and monitoring of vaccines. In particular, the outreach effort is focusing on Gardasil, manfuactured by Merck and marketed as a preventive for cervical cancer by targeting the human papillomavirus (HPV). According to a recent news release, SaneVax is encouraging an open letter writing campaign addressing the issue of vaccine safety.

Read the rest of this entry »

The American Academy of Pediatrics recently added Gardasil to its list of recommended vaccines for young men starting at age 9, for the prevention of genital warts. The vaccine, which protects against four strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV) already was recommended for girls by the age of 11 or 12 as a preventive measure against cervical cancer. However, parents should carefully weigh the pros and cons of this relatively new vaccine, which was approved by the FDA in 2006. Thousands of adverse event reports are attached to the vaccine, and it has been linked to more than 50 deaths.

Read the rest of this entry »

A recent study, funded by Merck Research Laboratories, a division of Merck & Company, which manufactures and markets the Gardasil vaccine, is touting the drug for use not only as protection against cervical cancer, but also to prevent genital warts and other low-grade cervical growths. The study uses its findings to also promote expansion of the drug’s target market to include boys and young men. Previously, the drug has been targeted at girls beginning at age 9.

Read the rest of this entry »

Washington Examiner opinion editor Barbara Hollingsworth raises an interesting question about Merck’s cervical cancer vaccine Gardasil: If 52 deaths linked to sudden unintended acceleration in Toyota vehicles prompted massive, multi-billion-dollar recalls, then why is Gardasil still administered to thousands of school-age girls when it has been linked to 49 deaths in a briefer time span?

Read the rest of this entry »

Women considering receiving the Gardasil vaccine for themselves or their daughters  may encounter a lot of confusing, sometimes contradictory information and sweeping generalizations. Because January is Cervical Cancer Awareness month, more women and girls may be seeking information about human papillomavirus (HPV), Gardasil, and the more recently approved vaccine Cervarix, which makes it even more important that truth about the vaccine be known.

Read the rest of this entry »