The most effective treatment for cervical cancer is a regular gynecological exam, including a Pap smear. This simple test can check for dysplasia, or pre-cancerous cells, which can then be treated. A gynecologist also may administer an HPV test, to check for the human papillomavirus, which has been linked to the development of cervical cancer.

According to the NCCC, since its introduction more than 50 years ago, the Pap test has been the single greatest contributor to the decline in cervical cancer. Between the 1950s and early 1990s, cervical cancer deaths in the United States dropped by more than 70 percent, and continue to decline. A Pap test collects cells from the cervix, which can then be examined under a microscope to look for any abnormalities. Physicians recommend women begin having Pap tests within three years after their first sexual intercourse, or at age 21.

Today, there is much debate about including an HPV vaccine in the arsenal of treatments against cervical cancer. Gardasil, manufactured by Merck, Inc., is perhaps the best known of these vaccines. It has been recommended for girls as young as age 9, and is administered in a series of three shots. The vaccine protects against four of the hundreds of types of HPV, including two that are most often linked to the development of cervical cancer. HPV is a sexually transmitted virus.

However, since its introduction in 2006, the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) has received more than 20,000 reports of adverse side effects reportedly related to Gardasil. These reports include serious adverse side effects including Guilliane Barre, lupus, seizures, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis, among others. There also have been 92 reported deaths among girls who received the Gardasil vaccine.

Also, the Gardasil vaccine has a limited time frame for viability. Studies indicate the drug is not effective for more than about five years. However, according to statistics collected by the National Cancer Institute, cancer of the cervix tends to occur during midlife. Half the women diagnosed are between 35 and 55 years of age, and it rarely affects women younger than 20. So, for many of the young girls being vaccinated, the protection will wear off long before they are at risk for cervical cancer and, for many, long before they even become sexually active.

A Pap smear will usually detect cervical abnormalities and allow for early treatment. The NCCC points out that most women who develop cervical cancer have never had a Pap test, or have not had one in the three to five years prior to developing cervical cancer.

Because Gardasil and other HPV vaccines only protect against a very limited number of the many strains of HPV, it is imperative for women who choose to be vaccinated to still include a Pap smear in their regular line of defense against cervical cancer.

Sources:
National Cervical Cancer Coalition
National Cancer Institute

SOURCE: the Truth about Gardasil">Beasley Allen Case Site

Additionally, the U. S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have thousands of reports filed by patients that indicate the drug could be linked to serious side effects. While the most commonly reported side effects are minor, such as swelling or redness at the injection site, fainting and nausea, some reports reflect a more dire outcome.

Patients have reported the development of severe adverse side effects after receiving the drug, including Guilliane Barre syndrome, Lupus, seizures, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. There also have been 92 reports of deaths among girls who received the Gardasil vaccine. While these serious adverse events have not been conclusively linked to Gardasil, many researchers say the drug calls for more testing and stronger warnings.

In fact, one of the researchers who led the development of two HPV vaccines, Dr. Diane Harper, told an audience of medical professionals in 2009 that she feels the vaccine is largely unnecessary, and that it has never been fully tested on females under the age of 15. She pointed out that the HPV virus is the most common sexually transmitted virus, and that most HPV infections are cleared naturally by the body’s immune system without any harmful effect.

Dr. Harper also pointed out that any abnormalities in the cervix that may be caused by HPV can be easily detected and treated with regular Pap tests.

If the results of the recent NIH study hold true, however, adolescent girls who feel protected will have less concern about contracting HPV and other sexually transmitted diseases, and may use less caution in protecting themselves or seeking regular preventative treatment.

Source: Reuters

SOURCE: the Truth about Gardasil">Beasley Allen Case Site

But in at least two news interviews after the debate, Bachmann told reporters Gardasil was linked to mental retardation as a possible side effect. She says she received this information from a parent she spoke with after the debate, whose child had received the Gardasil vaccine. This account left medical experts scratching their heads, as mental retardation is not listed among the adverse events currently reported in connection with Gardasil.

The controversy is leaving many wondering, did Bachmann simply misunderstand the adverse event described to her by a young girl’s distraught mother, or is she trying to sensationalize her story? Perhaps even more importantly, what are the risks associated with Gardasil?

Since Gardasil’s introduction in 2006, the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) has received more than 20,000 reports of adverse side effects related to Gardasil. These reports do include serious adverse side effects including Guillain Barre syndrome, lupus, seizures, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, among others. There also have been 92 reported deaths among girls who received the Gardasil vaccine.

In 2009, Dr. Diane Harper, one of the lead researchers in the development of two HPV vaccines, told an audience of medical professionals that in her opinion Gardasil is actually largely unnecessary. Almost all HPV infections are cleared naturally by the body’s immune system without harmful effect, she pointed out. In fact, Harper says, the rate of cervical cancer in the U.S. is so low, that vaccination is not expected to reduce the rate of cervical cancer in the U.S. at all.

Add to that, the vaccine has not been proven to last more than 5 years. In order for there to be true prevention, the vaccine would have to last a lifetime. For the target audience, 11-12-year-old girls, the vaccine is not likely to last long enough to protect them when they do become sexually active. However, cervical abnormalities that may indicate a risk of cervical cancer are still easily detectable through the use of regular pap smears. And, unlike Gardasil, pap smears have no risk of adverse event and cost only a fraction of the cost of Gardasil.

Despite the questions, by October 2009 the FDA had expanded the use of Gardasil in the U.S., approving it to treat boys and young men ages 9-26 for the prevention of genital warts, throat and anal cancers linked to HPV, as well as to curtail the spread of HPV. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that approximately 32 million doses of the vaccine have been distributed in the United States since about September 2006.

Though Michele Bachmann’s attempt to point out the risks of Gardasil may not have been artful, she should be applauded for her attempt to spotlight the problems with Gardasil. Gardasil is a vaccination that is costly, potentially dangerous, and likely ineffective at preventing cancer. The cost and the risk of injury far outweigh any benefits. Rather than encouraging vaccination, the wiser course would be to proceed with great caution in the vaccination of young girls and boys.

SOURCE: the Truth about Gardasil">Beasley Allen Case Site

However, since its introduction, Gardasil, which is manufactured by Merck & Co., has come under scrutiny following thousands of reports of serious adverse side effects tied to the drug. There also have been more than 80 instances of deaths following the Gardasil vaccine. The drug company and doctors say there is currently no way to conclusively link the drug to these side effects and deaths, but parents are not so sure.

In 2009, Dr. Diane Harper, one of the lead researchers in the development of two HPV vaccines, told an audience of medical professionals that in her opinion Gardasil is actually largely unnecessary. Almost all HPV infections are cleared naturally by the body’s immune system without harmful effect, she pointed out. The Gardasil vaccine targets only four of hundreds of strains of HPV and, of those, only two that are most high-risk of causing cervical cancer. Also, in the case of young women, regular Pap tests can usually identify any changes in cervical cells, and treatment administered before they become cancerous.

The vaccine was rushed to market before phase 3 clinical trials were complete. But in the months following the vaccine’s introduction, the U.S. Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) began tracking reports of minor adverse events, but also serious reactions including anaphylaxis, Guillain-Barre syndrome, transverse myelitis, pancreatitis and venous thromboembolic events (blood clots).

Because the VAERS is a voluntary reporting system, many physicians and researchers believe the actual incidence of events linked to this vaccine may be much higher.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that approximately 32 million doses of the vaccine have been distributed in the United States since about September 2010. Now that the market has been expanded to include children of both genders, it’s frightening to imagine the possible consequences.

Parents who are considering whether to include Gardasil when choosing vaccinations for their child should ask themselves, “Is the relatively limited benefit of this vaccine really worth the risk?”

SOURCE: the Truth about Gardasil">Beasley Allen Case Site

An editorial published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in 2009 asks a number of important questions related to the Gardasil vaccine, and just why it was rushed to market.

The vaccine targets the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is linked to the development of cervical cancer. It was widely promoted and aggressively marketed to young women and their parents through the catchy “One Less” campaign, which urged them to receive the vaccine in order to be “one less” girl who developed cervical cancer in the future. What the ads didn’t emphasize is that HPV is the most common type of sexually transmitted infection. It also seems to be among the least harmful, because almost all HPV infections are cleared naturally by the body’s immune system without harmful effect.

What also was unknown when this marketing campaign cranked up to full steam was the nature of any harmful side effects from the vaccine.

However, in the months following the vaccine’s introduction, the U.S. Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) began tracking reports of minor adverse events, but also serious reactions including anaphylaxis, Guillain-Barre syndrome, transverse myelitis, pancreatitis and venous thromboembolic events (blood clots). But because the VAERS is a voluntary reporting system, many physicians and researchers believe the actual incidence of events linked to this vaccine may be much higher. Conversely, the nature of the reporting system also makes it very difficult to tell when events are in fact not linked to the vaccine.

Generally, when determining whether to add a drug like a vaccine – which is given to an otherwise healthy person – a recommended procedure, there is a very careful weight of benefit and risk. Why then, was Gardasil so quickly added to the recommended regimen?

Studies in actual patients – the clinical trials – were not even complete when it was recommended. The risk of developing cervical cancer from HPV is relatively small, and a distant future for the target audience, 11-12 -year-old girls. Cervical abnormalities that may indicate a risk of cervical cancer are easily detectable and treatable through the use of regular pap smears. The Gardasil vaccine targets only four of hundreds of strains of HPV and, of those, only two that are most high-risk of causing cervical cancer.

SOURCE: the Truth about Gardasil">Beasley Allen Case Site

Austin says drug-maker Merck could not possibly be able to predict the long-term effects on the pre-pubescent girls that are its primary focus, because it was not tested on a large enough sample of children in that age group. The longest test trial, she says, was less than four years. This, despite the fact that the vaccine maker states the drug is only effective for a maximum of five years.

HPV, the virus linked to cervical cancer, is a sexually transmitted virus. This means that girls who receive the vaccine at age 11, or even younger, will most likely not even be sexually active during the vaccine’s peak effectiveness, based on Merck’s own information.

She writes, “This means my daughter will need at least four booster shots after the age of 11. What the drug makers do not mention is that this is the most expensive vaccine ever made, at $360 per three-shot series. They do not tell me about the vaccine’s known carcinogenic and estrogenic compounds that will be injected into the body of my pre-pubescent little girl, or the fact that the shot has not been tested to find out if it can potentially cause more cases of cancer than it is supposed to prevent.”

Additionally, Austin feels the drug maker is downplaying the risk of serious side effects. Statistics being reported to the Vaccine Adverse Effect Response System include children collapsing after receiving the shot, and reports of facial paralysis, Guillain-Barre Syndrome, and even death among girls who have received the shot.

While the drug maker argues there is not sufficient evidence to link these events to the Gardasil vaccine, Austin asks how many parents really want to take that chance with their child’s health.

She wonders, “Can I refuse this dangerous, experimental treatment if I do not want to have my child used in this way, so the pharmaceutical company (which will profit approximately 2 billion dollars a year on this vaccine) can find out exactly what it will do to little girls not even at puberty yet?”

Austin suggests a better solution: “Why not use the billions of dollars that will be going to Merck, and instead fund a campaign to make HPV screening and Pap smears (far cheaper and more effective tools for fighting cervical cancer) free and accessible to everyone?”

Since the time this article was published, the FDA also approved Gardasil for use in boys and young men, as well as girls.  HPV screening would also be effective in preventing the spread of this virus among boys.

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In 2010, the Garasil vaccine was approved for use in boys and young men, to prevent the spread of HPV, which is a sexually transmitted virus. In this instance, the drug’s manufacturer, Merck, promotes the vaccine as an additional safeguard against oral, penile and anal cancers.

Watch the CNN video:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Source:
www.VaccinationEducation.com

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Gardasil was recommended for girls beginning as young as age 9, and presented as an “anti-cancer vaccine.” The drug actually protects against four of hundreds of strains of human papillomavirus (HPV), two of which are high risk, responsible for about 70 percent of cervical cancers, and two lower-risk types of HPV. However, what the advertising campaign failed to point out is that not every woman is at the same risk for cervical cancer, and that routine gynecological examinations and Pap smears are equally if not more important in the early detection and prevention of cervical cancer.

According the the SMU Daily Campus news website, the lecture explored the idea that the advertising campaign used to promote the new vaccine was designed to play on the public’s fear of cancer. The lecture was presented by Sheila M. Rothman, Ph.D., a professor of public health in the division of sociomedical sciences at Columbia University’s Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health, as well as Deputy Director of the Center for the Study of Society and Medicine at the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons.

During the lecture, Dr. Rothman pointed out that as a result of a general marketing campaign aimed at both young women and the parents of young girls, large portions of the population were vaccinated without regard to or knowledge of their actual risk factor for cervical cancer. Those at high risk, she says, are those who do not have access to adequate health care, and are therefore unable to get annual Pap smears.

Others at higher risk for cervical cancer include women who smoke, who have a diet low in fruits and vegetables, take birth control pills for more than five years, have had more than three full-term pregnancies or have HIV or a Chlamydia infection, according Dr. Richard Gajdowski, medical director for United Healthcare of Michigan.

In its advertising, Merck also failed to point out rates of cervical cancer versus other types of cancer, or to mention that yearly Pap tests also would reduce risk, Dr. Rothman said. The American Cancer Society recommends women begin receiving regular Pap smears at least three years after the onset of vaginal intercourse and no later than age 21.

It is the goal of the Maguire Center to promote student awareness of pertinent ethical issues, and to promote ethics not just as an awareness of what is “right and wrong” but as a social responsibility,” according to center director Rita Kirk, Ph.D.

Source: SMU Daily Campus

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that approximately 32 million doses of the vaccine have been distributed in the United States since about September 2010. They argue that the more than 17,000 reports of serious adverse events – including things like immune deficiencies, Lupus, seizures, and blood clots in addition to the reports of deaths following administration of the vaccine – make up a relatively small percentage of the total number of doses given.

But do parents really want to take a gamble on that kind of risk?

Until recently the vaccine has been given exclusively to girls, with no recommendations for its use in boys. Now that the market has been expanded to include children of both genders, it’s frightening to imagine the possible consequences.

According to information about HPV found at WebMD, the infection is very common, affecting about 20 million people in the U.S. HPV could cause genital warts or abnormal changes in the cervix and other genital areas that can lead to cancer. However, for most people, the body will clear HPV infection on its own. Women are encouraged to get a gynecological examination and Pap smear annually as the best way to detect and treat pre-cancerous cells, whether or not they have ever received the Gardasil vaccine.

Because the vaccine only prevents against a fraction of the types of HPV, and because the vaccine’s efficacy is only 5 years from the point of vaccination, receiving the shots does not guarantee a person will never develop HPV.

Parents who are considering whether to include Gardasil when choosing vaccinations for their child should ask themselves, “Is the relatively limited benefit of this vaccine really worth the risk?”

Source: Yahoo! News

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The report is based on the findings of the Australian Medical Association, published in Women’s Health Issues, part of the Australia’s Health 201 report. The Advertiser notes that according to the report, the number of women between the ages of 20-24 who get cervical cancer screenings has declined steadily since 2006, the year Gardasil was introduced and recommended for young women.

The paper quotes Dr. Andrew Pesce, president of the Australian Medical Association, as saying “Even though vaccination protects women against the type of HPV that causes about 70 percent of all cervical cancers, it is vital for women who have been vaccinated to continue regular screening. It ensures any cervical abnormalities which might develop into cancer are detected early whilst still easily treatable.”

While Pap smears are the most effective tool for identifying and treating pre-cancerous lesions before they develop into cancer, the introduction of a cervical cancer vaccine has made many women complacent about receiving the annual test, the news agency reports.

Source: The Advertiser

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However, researchers say the girls and their parents are choosing instead the more traditional route of annual physical check-ups and Pap smears as a method for detecting and treating any signs of HPV or pre-cancerous cells. Some parents have said they consider the vaccine to be unsafe, while others simply feel it is unnecessary, as most cases of HPV clear themselves without causing any adverse events.

Conversely, the HPV vaccine Gardasil, and similar vaccine Cervarix, have been linked to thousands of adverse event reports, including serious reactions. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, 38 people have been hospitalized following a Gardasil vaccine since 2007, and one person has died. While the agency said there is not sufficient evidence to link the death to the vaccine, it is enough for some patients and parents to stop and think twice.

The Middlesex-London Health Unit started administering the Gardasil vaccine through a school-based program in 2007.

Source: London Free Press

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Gardasil, manufactured by Merck & Co., and Cervarix, manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline, are promoted for the prevention of the human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted virus linked to the development of cervical cancer. However, the vaccines only treat four of the more than 40 types of HPV, and experts say studies show that the human body naturally eliminates more than 90 percent of HPV infections, making the vaccine irrelevant and redundant. Medical professionals also point out that pre-cancerous lesions can be safely detected with regular annual Pap smears, eliminating the need for the vaccine.

The columnist also points out that the HPV vaccine is controversial because of its spotty safety record. In the United States, the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) has logged consumer complaints about serious adverse events following the Gardasil vaccine, including pulmonary emabolism and Guillain-Barre syndrome, as well as more than 50 reports of death among girls who received the vaccine. It is estimated that the number of adverse events linked to these vaccines may be even higher, as not everyone who experiences a serious side effect reports it.

Gardasil was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in 2006, and Cervarix by the FDA in 2009.

In addition to its concerns about the efficacy and safety of HPV vaccines, the Consumers Association of Penang is concerned about the plan for the MOH to work in conjunction with the Ministry of Education to administer the vaccine to the school-age girls without providing additional information about the vaccine to their parents. At the very least, Idris says, the MOH must provide parents with the opportunity to exercise their right to informed consent by supplying them with comprehensive information about the vaccination process and the risks involved.

SOURCE: the Truth about Gardasil">Beasley Allen Case Site

Manufactured by Merck & Co., Gardasil is promoted as a vaccination to protect young women against cervical cancer. What the drug actually does is guard against four out of about 40 types of human papillomavirus, or HPV. HPV is a sexually transmitted virus linked to the development of cervical cancer. Recently, recommended use of Gardasil has been expanded to include vaccinations for boys and young men, also for the prevention and spread of HPV.

However, since its introduction in 2006, Gardasil has been linked to a number of serious adverse events, including seizures and auto-immune disorders. More than 50 young women have died shortly after receiving the Gardasil vaccine.

In addition to these reports, SaneVax, Inc., is concerned about potential HPV vaccine-induced increased risks of cancer.There have been 283 cases of post-vaccination abnormal PAP smears reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), with more reports of high-risk HPV, cervical lesions and cervical cancer also beginning to be recorded following vaccinations with Gardasil. Also, data collected by the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) indicate exposure to HPV prior to vaccination with Gardasil raises a woman’s risk of cervical cancer by 44.6 percent.

SaneVax will operate a comprehensive website with news, research, videos, profiles of victims, a forum and more. It also plans to offer affordable, highly sensitive HPV testing using specific genotyping by DNA sequencing for pre- and post-vaccination.

“Pre- and post-HPV testing is crucial to identify whether a young woman has already been exposed to HPV, and to try and understand the mechanisms of action causing the injury and death of innocent girls after innoculation,” says SaneVax, Inc., board member Leslie Carol Botha, a Women’s Health educator and broadcast journalist.

Other board members include Norma Erickson (Chairman of the Board); Rosemary Mathis, who believes her daughter was injured by the Gardasil vaccine; Freda Birrell, political lobbyist int he UK and Scotland; and Janny Stokvis, vaccine researcher. They hope to expand the mission of SaneVax, Inc., to eventually include research, studies and data on all vaccines marketed in the United States.

For more information, visit sanevax.org or email info@sanevax.org.

SOURCE: the Truth about Gardasil">Beasley Allen Case Site

Some have already suggested boys ought to be included in Gardasil vaccinations, in order to limit the possibility of their spreading the virus to their partners when they become sexually active. The FDA has recently approved the use of Gardasil in boys, but only to prevent genital warts. HPV also has now been linked to the development of penile and anal cancer.

According to a recent story on Forbes. com, the link between HPV and throat cancer has only come about in the last few years, with researchers believing it may be linked to oral sex. According to the report, there are approximately 11,300 HPV-related throat cancers diagnosed in the U.S. each year. Throat cancer has traditionally been linked to smoking and drinking alcohol.

However, since Gardasil’s introduction in 2006 for the treatment of cervical cancer, there have been a number of troubling developments. The drug has been linked to a number of serious adverse events reported by young women shortly after receiving the vaccine, which is usually given in a series of three shots. Adverse events have been reported after receiving one or more of the shots. These side effects have included such serious problems as blood clots, seizures and auto-immune disorders. There also have been more than 50 reports of young women who have died shortly after receiving the Gardasil vaccine.

Even if there are no side effects, some physicians are questioning the benefit of the vaccine. About 90 percent of HPV infections are cleared naturally by the body, never developing into pre-cancerous lesions or cancer. For girls, regular Pap tests can usually detect any pre-cancerous lesions and treat them before they develop into cancer. And, generally all papilloma viruses are slow-moving, with any pre-cancerous lesions they cause developing over time, more easy to find and diagnose before they cause a problem.

Unfortunately, it is not as easy to detect such lesions in the throat, which some researchers argue is a positive in favor of the HPV vaccination. However, it also makes studies that would determine the effectiveness of a vaccine like Gardasil for the treatment of throat cancer much more difficult to determine. Without effective clinical trials with easy to measure results, it is unlikely the FDA would grant approval to the vaccine for this type of use.

SOURCE: the Truth about Gardasil">Beasley Allen Case Site

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.”

SOURCE: the Truth about Gardasil">Beasley Allen Case Site

The only exception, according to the ACOG, is for adolescents with compromised immune systems, due to conditions such as HIV infection, organ transplant or long-term steriod use. This group makes up less than 1 percent of adolescents, but they are more at risk that HPV could develop into cancer.

However, the ACOG is quick to say that Pap tests are still the best defense for early detection and treatment of precancerous cells that could eventually lead to cervical cancer. They still recommend women 21 and older undergo regular Pap tests. According to the MSNBC report, cervical cancer rates in the United States have dropped by more than half in the past 30 years, which is largely attributed to cervical cancer screening – the Pap test.

Recently, there has been some debate about a relatively new vaccine offered by Merck pharmaceuticals, Gardasil. The vaccine is promoted as a preventive treatment for cervical cancer, and is being marketed for girls beginning at around age 9-11. The vaccine is given in a series of three shots.

However, Gardasil also has been associated with serious adverse events, including more than 50 reports of deaths that may be linked to the vaccine. Additionally, the vaccine doesn’t last for more than five years, meaning that any potential benefit it might provide is likely to be inactive by the time the girl is old enough to be sexually active. HPV is a virus transmitted through sexual activity.

In fact, at the International Public Conference on Vaccination in 2008, the lead researcher in the development of the Gardasil vaccine, Dr. Diane Harper, stunned the assembled audience when she said the vaccine is unnecessary at best, and dangerous, at worst. She cited the risk of serious side effects as an argument against the drug, and instead recommended the proven protection against cervical cancer – regular Pap tests. She even called Gardasil “a great big public health experiment.”

Pap tests – often also called Pap smears – are effective because HPV is a slow-moving virus, which generally causes pre-cancerous lesions that may develop into cancer over time. A Pap test will detect these pre-cancerous cells, which can be treated.

SOURCE: the Truth about Gardasil">Beasley Allen Case Site

It’s a rhetorical question, but it makes you wonder if it’s somehow more permissible to be killed or injured by a drug than it is by a defective automobile.

Merck has lobbied federal regulators hard to make Gardasil mandatory for all American schoolgirls. Fortunately, the drug giant’s vision of requiring every girl in the nation to receive its three-tiered shot fell short of becoming law. Although many states require sixth-grade girls to receive the shot, parents have the legal right to refuse it. But very few of them know about the drug’s risks and how it has harmed and occasionally killed perfectly healthy girls.

According to the Washington Examiner, 20-year-old Mary Katherine Davison of Frederick, Maryland, became dizzy and nauseated after receiving her second Gardasil shot in January 2008. Although her two younger sisters had no reactions, Mary Katherine suffered a massive stroke and spent 2 months in rehab re-learning how to walk. Her mother, Mary Davison, said that she made no connection between her daughter’s stroke and Gardasil until Mary Katherine’s doctor refused to schedule her for the final Gardasil shot.

Days later, 17-year-old Jessica Ericzon of Alexandria Bay, New York, collapsed and died on the bathroom floor just 40 hours after receiving her third Gardasil shot. Jessica had complained of pain and dizziness after her second shot, but sadly nobody connected her symptoms to Garsdasil.

21-year-old Christina Tarsell of Sparks, Maryland, received her third Gardasil shot and spent more then 2 weeks feeling dizzy, nauseated and fatigued before she died.

“We had no clue that these were all symptoms of something,” her mother told the Washington Examiner. In all these cases, autopsies and toxicology screenings failed to determine the cause of death.

Naturally, Merck defends its Gardasil vaccine. The pharmaceutical giant also has a powerful ally in the CDC, which officially reported in 2008 that Gardasil recipients didn’t experience negative reactions any more than non-recipients.

That claim, however, was countered by the National Vaccine Information Center, which used the same CDC data to show that Gardasil was linked to “at least four times as many death and cardiac arrest reports” as Cervarix and “seemed to be associated with an unusually high number of reports of atypical collapse.”

“CDC is still saying this is a safe vaccine. With Pap smears, there was no medical reason for fast-tracking FDA approval. They made it (cervical cancer) sound like it was some kind of pandemic,” Christina Tarsell’s mother, Emily, told the Washington Examiner, adding that nobody from the CDC will respond to her calls.

Source: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/columns/Time-for-the-truth-about-Gardasil-89466882.html

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First, the vaccines are known to have serious risks. The threat of blood clots, seizure, paralysis, outbreak of warts, and sudden death has been documented in thousands of adverse event reports obtained by Judicial Watch under Freedom of Information law. The risks may be small for most of the women and girls who receive the vaccines (administered in a series of three shots), but they are nonetheless real.

Girls and women who are not sexually active are not at risk of contracting HPV. Merck lobbyists pushed to make the shots mandatory for all school girls as young as 9 years old. However, unless those 9-year-olds are sexually active, their chances of becoming infected with HPV and developing cervical cancer are zero.

Women who receive regular pap screenings are at minimal risk of developing cervical cancer because testing will detect precancers if they are present. Precancerous cells can be treated safely and effectively with traditional therapies to prevent the development of cancer.

The incidence of cervical cancer among women who do not receive screening or vaccination is about 90 per 100,000. According to Dr. Diane Harper, who is widely regarded as the top expert on HPV and the Gardasil vaccine, “the combination of HPV vaccine and screening in the U.S. will not decrease the incidence of cervical cancer to any measurable degree at the population level.” That assertion contradicts the claims of some HPV vaccine advocates.

So who might HPV vaccines benefit? Sexually active women who don’t receive regular pap tests would benefit the most, but only if they are willing to assume the risk of being either injured by the vaccine or, in the rare event, killed. For the vast majority of women, the risks of receiving Gardasil or Cervarix vaccinations simply outweigh any benefits.

Sources:

http://www.infonews.co.nz/news.cfm?l=1&t=0&id=23815

http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/3228514/Concerned-mum-sets-up-vaccine-site

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Pap smears are screening tests used by gynecologists to detect cervical cancer cells. Changes in the cell processes signal the development of cervical cancer and prompt the physician to start treatment.

According to Dr. Harper, “Pap smears have never killed anyone. Pap smears are an effective screening tool to prevent cervical cancer. Pap smears alone prevent more cervical cancers than can the vaccines alone.”

“Gardasil is associated with serious adverse events, including death,” Dr. Harper explained. “If Gardasil is given to 11-year-olds, and the vaccine does not last at least 15 years, then there is no benefit – and only risk – for the young girl.”

Without boosters, Gardasil vaccines remain effective for five years.

“Vaccinating will not reduce the population incidence of cervical cancer if the woman continues to get Pap screening throughout her life,” Dr. Harper added.

Dr. Harper told Yerman in a written communication that she disagreed with Merck’s campaign to make the vaccine mandatory for school-age girls.

“The decision to be vaccinated must be the woman’s (or parent’s if it is for a young child), and not the physician’s or any board of health, as the vaccination contains personal risk that only the person can value.”

The choice to receive the Gardasil vaccine “is entirely a personal value judgment,” Dr. Harper said.

When asked about Merck’s “one less” marketing campaign, Dr. Harper told Yerman that it “was designed to incite the greatest fear possible in parents, so that there would be uptake of the vaccine.”

“If women were participating in Pap screening, or if as a parent you educated your daughter to seek Pap screening at the appropriate age (21 years) for her entire life, then she would have been very unlikely to be at risk for being “one” and would not be “one less,” Dr. Harper told Yerman.

“She would not have been ‘one’ to begin with!”

To read the entire interview with Dr. Harper, please click here.

SOURCE: the Truth about Gardasil">Beasley Allen Case Site