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.

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What was designed to be a public health information forum about the HPV vaccine turned into an emotional scene as self-described “victims” of the vaccine spoke out about serious side effects linked to the drug. Perhaps the most well known of these vaccines, which are promoted as protection against the human papillomavirus (HPV), is Gardasil, manufactured by Merck. HPV, which is transmitted sexually,  is linked to the development of cervical cancer and, more recently, cancers of the throat and anus.

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Throughout the month of January, women are observing Cervical Health Awareness Month. According to the National Cervical Cancer Coalition (NCCC), each year in the U.S., approximately 12,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer. More than 4,000 women die as a result of cervical cancer annually. However, cervical cancer is preventable.

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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.

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On first glance, a  study published by drug manufacturer Merck & Co., in the New England Journal of Medicine appears to declare the Gardasil vaccine a resounding success. The pharmaceutical giant points to numbers that show its cervical cancer vaccine has an unbelievable 98 percent efficacy rate. On closer examination, however, perhaps unbelievable is the right word.

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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.

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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.

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A consumer watchdog group that specifically focuses on vaccine safety, SANE Vax, Inc., sent a certified letter to U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg on Sept. 6, asking the agency to review the possibility of contamination involving the vaccine Gardasil. Gardasil, manufactured by Merck & Co., is promoted as a preventive against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), which is linked to the development of cervical cancer. SANE Vax reports independent testing indicates samples of the Gardasil vaccine may be contaminated with recombinant HPV DNA.

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A report by New America Media recently shined a spotlight on the practice of drug testing in countries such as Russia, China, Brazil, Romania and India. Drug companies have found these countries offer a large population of indigent, poor and illiterate people who are willing to participate in drug trials in return for financial compensation. The practice is booming in India, reports Zeina Awad, a health reporter for Al Jazeeera’s “Fault Lines” program.

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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.

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