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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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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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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Health officials in the Candadian province of London, Ontario, said more than half of girls of qualifying age are opting not to receive the Gardasil vaccine. The study, which comes out of the London-Middlesex area, said only about 45 percent of eighth-grade girls decided to receive the three-dose vaccination against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), which is paid for by the federal government. HPV has been identified to cause cervical cancer.

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S.A.N.E. VAX, Inc., is newly established non-profit organization dedicated to promoting  safe, affordable, necessary and effective vaccines and vaccination practices through education and information. Its mission is two-fold: to provide information individuals need to make informed decisions prior to vaccination, and to help people locate appropriate medical and legal assistance if they or a loved one suffers from a serious adverse event after a vaccination. The organization is beginning its work with a critical evaluation of the drug Gardasil.

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There is a push to expand the distribution of the Gardasil vaccine, manufactured by Merck & Company, to boys, as recent studies are linking the development of throat cancers to the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). Gardasil is currently marketed as a treatment for girls and young women for the prevention of cervical cancer, which also is caused by HPV. HPV is a sexually transmitted virus. Gardasil protects against four types of HPV, two of which are most often linked to the development of cervical cancer.

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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.

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Recently a young woman posed a question to the “Ask the Expert” section on the Healthy Women (HW) website. The site is the nation’s leading independent health information source for women, providing information and answers about women’s personal health care questions for more than 20 years. The 32-year-old woman said she asked her health care provider about an HPV test, but the doctor told her she doesn’t need it, and she wondered why.  HPV stands for human papillomavirus, a sexually transmitted virus that can cause cervical cancer. Isn’t all preventive testing a good thing, she wondered? The answer may surprise you.

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The Associated Press reported today that U.S. drugmaker Merck & Co., which manufactures the controversial HPV vaccine Gardasil, among other drugs, has entered into a partnership with China-based pharmaceutical company Sinopharm to market vaccines and other products. According to the report, the joint venture will focus primarily on expanding Merck’s product reach to China’s population of more than 1 billion people.

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