The Gardasil Vaccine -- Introduction to a Series

As the nation's attention is riveted on the discourse about health care reform, another debate is taking place. Ironically, it crisscrosses with elements found in the larger conversation. These include the right of American women -- regardless of income -- to have accessible health care, the role of pharmaceutical companies in the health care equation, parental rights, informed consent, and the influence of lobbies. Add in the issue of teenage sexuality, and you have a confluence of factors contributing to the groundswell of dialogue taking place around the Gardasil vaccine developed by Merck & Co., Inc.

The vaccine was introduced in 2006 to protect girls and young women against four strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV). They are strains 6 and 11, which cause genital warts, and strains 16 and 18, which cause the development of approximately 70 percent of cervical cancers.

Currently the vaccine has been administered to over 7 million girls and young women nationally. Gardasil garnered sales in the United States, during the first half of fiscal 2009, of $363 million. As pointed out in a New York Times article about the STD vaccine market, health analyst Tim Anderson of the New York firm Sanford C. Bernstein, (which provides research for investors) forecast that in 2015, Gardasil would own 65 percent of an estimated 3.7-billion-dollar worldwide market for the HPV vaccine. Competitor GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), which is offering Cervarix, will make up the balance.

When I first started looking at the HPV vaccine, I didn't realize that the story would grow exponentially, touching on a wide range of issues. My goal is to present basic information in conjunction with various points of view. It is an evolving narrative. This past September, the FDA advisory panel recommended approving Gardasil for males ages 9 to 26 to prevent genital warts. A month later, the Harvard School of Public Health released research that inferred that the vaccine for boys would not be cost effective.

If you Google Gardasil, you get half a million hits covering a wide swath, with one element of information leading to another. Examples include an article in The New England Journal of Medicine (6/22/06) about the effectiveness of using male condoms to reduce the risk of male-to-female transmission of HPV. Numerous links have appeared on how acetic acid (vinegar) has been used as an inexpensive and efficient way to screen for cervical cancer and HPV, particularly in poorer nations. In August 2008, Elisabeth Rosenthal wrote for the New York Times under the topic of "Money & Policy," calling into question the line for drug companies between "what the manufacturers call education and their critics call marketing." Lucinda Marshall, at Feminist Peace Network, has consistently been on top of the Gardasil story, and wrote for Dissident Voice about why she believed "Making the HPV Vaccine Mandatory Is Bad Medicine."

In examining material about the Gardasil vaccine and cervical cancer, one of the points that comes up regularly is the efficacy of the Pap test for screening and detecting precancerous cells in the cervix. In the past half-century, deaths resulting from cervical cancer in America have dropped approximately 70 percent. Of the estimated 11,000 women in the country who will develop cervical cancer, almost 4,000 will die. Most of that demographic has never had a Pap smear test. The question is, why? Is there a lack of affordable health insurance? No transportation to the doctor?

I spoke with Jessica Arons from the Center for American Progress, a Washington, D.C., think tank, about these concerns. She responded by raising questions about women's "regular access to the current healthcare system." When the Gardasil vaccine was first approved by the FDA, her organization was generally supportive. However, she referenced the issue of "cost and allocation of resources," and queried if it would be more effective to target the population for a three-part vaccine (which presents its own set of logistical and economic barriers) or to improve overall access to the health care system (which would allow for routine screening... and treatment when necessary).

Arons addressed the impediments brought on by expense and other hurdles caused by the current mandate from the Immigration and Naturalization Services, requiring all females from the age of 11-26 who are seeking legal entry to the United States to get the HPV vaccine. Arons explained that the high cost of the vaccine might be prohibitive to female immigrants and their families, and the vaccine may not be available in their country of origin. In addition, the mandate deprives those seeking a green card of the right to independently decide whether this vaccine is right for them. Currently, HPV is not an imminent public-health threat.

Aware of the accusations against Merck for an overly aggressive marketing campaign, Arons commented, "Merck certainly has the right to participate in the government process, but it is important to have watchdog groups involved as well, to ensure that monied interests do not overwhelm the process and that women's health remains the overriding priority."

This series endeavors to expand the dialogue and disseminate information. The next installment will feature an interview with Merck & Co., Inc.

This article originally appeared on Empowher.

 

Follow Marcia G. Yerman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mgyerman

Comments

[mofmars333]

Sign the Petition to Investigate Gardasil Vaccine Deaths Now

http://www.naturalnews.com/025646_Gardasil_health_Merck.html

[mofmars333]

Contact a Gardasil Attorney Near You

http://www.adrugrecall.com/gardasil/lawsuits.html

[mofmars333]

Calling all good & honest doctors for help on this one!.

After all we know about this shot, they're now targeting our boys, too?

Are we living in the dark ages?

Preventing Gardasil Vaccine Injuries & Deaths

http://www.nvic.org/NVIC-Vaccine-News/July-2009/Preventing-Gardasil-Vaccine-Injuries-Deaths.aspx

Join the discussion & help save our children;

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marcia-g-yerman/the-gardasil-vaccine-seri_b_348714.html?show_comment_id=34137161#comment_34137161

[mofmars333]

The second blog in this series is out. Please join the discussion:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marcia-g-yerman/the-gardasil-vaccine-seri_b_348714.html#postComment

[JodiSpeaks]

My daughter, Victoria, has been having very ill since March 31, 2008. Victoria had her first Gardasil vaccination Nov. 2007. Her second vaccination was in Feb. 2008. Immediately after her second vaccination, Victoria experienced severe diarrhea and was nauseous for about eight weeks. On March 31, 2008, she had her first seizure. My daughter has had MANY CT scans, MRI's, MRA's, EEG's, blood work and was hospitalized at a video monitoring unit in an epilepsy center for two separate weeks in 2008. She recently underwent a spinal tap, which was unsuccessful. She will be having a fluoroscopy the second week of Nov. 2009. Victoria has treated with several neurologists, a psychiatrist, psychologist, several neuropsychologists, an immunologist, several infectious disease doctors, and also at a wellness center. We are also trying homeopathy. Victoria currently experiences the following: non-epileptic seizures, migraines, fainting, tremors of her extremities, twitches, numbness, staring episodes, tingling, eye pain, joint pain, back and neck pain , memory loss, confusion, regression and chronic fatigue . She has not been in school since Sept. 2008. Victoria can never be left home alone. She can't go to school, go out with her friends or work or has little "normalcy" in her life. She was unable to graduate high school with her class in June 2009.

There are many other girls who have the same symptoms as my daughter and the one thing all of the girls have in common is the Gardasil vaccination.

Jodi Speakman
[phone]
[e-mail]

[mofmars333]

I'm so sorry, Jodi, best wishes for you & yours.

Thank you for speaking out & rest assured our people will band tigether to help get truth out so these atrocities are stopped "dead" in their tracks. No matter how many are silenced, for each one stifled, many more willl rise on this one.

[mofmars333]

In this great exposure of truth behind vaccines this good doctor even goes into the fact that when pregnant woman started miscarrying & having malformed babies, they halted giving Gardasil to them.

Pass this around & wake up everyone, especially, your physicians, people.

This will do it for those that are blind & put a stopper in all the rhetoric.

No room for denial now thanks to good doctors like these.

Soon, more doctors will be joining the ranks of truth to this matter & we can begin our road to recovery.

"Swine Flu -- One of the Most Massive Cover-ups in American History"

Find out all the reasons why pregnant women should NEVER get the H1N1 vaccine. Renowned expert exposes major H1N1 myths.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/11/03/What-We-Have-Learned-About-the-Great-Swine-Flu-Pandemic.aspx

[Marcia G. Yerman - Huffpost Blogger]

I have been in contact with Dr. Harper, and she has told me that many of her comments were out of context or "twisted." More to follow.

[scottw54]

85% of cervical cancer deaths occur in the developing world—things there are very different than in the US. It is not uncommon for people in a village in Africa or Asia to have had direct experience caring for, or living in close proximity to, a woman slowly dying from cervical cancer.
Early results from HPV vaccination demonstration projects in Peru, Uganda and Vietnam show that parents trust immunization, are afraid of cancer and if they are convinced that the vaccine is safe and effective, 80-90% of parents ask that their daughters be vaccinated. The main barrier against widespread HPV vaccination in the developing world is cost of the vaccine; fortunately the GAVI Alliance is looking for ways to subsidize the price for the world’s poorest countries.
There is a reasonable debate about the appropriateness of US vaccination mandates, but if you focus on sources that put science ahead of ideology, there is little scientific debate about the effectiveness or safety of HPV vaccine.
In addition to new screening methods like visual inspection, there also is a lower-cost, very sensitive HPV DNA test on the way that could revolutionize screening in low-resource settings.
The RHO Cervical Cancer library (www.rho.org) gathers science-based information from the world’s leading authorities. There is a short BBC documentary there focusing on how a Ugandan politician is taking on cervical cancer in her country. It shows what cervical cancer looks like outside the US.

[mofmars333]

This video is a must see;

http://uncensored.co.nz/2009/04/20/youtube-urgent-warning-about-gardasil/

Women Hurt by Medicine "women tell their stories about ‘cervical cancer vaccines"

http://womenhurtbymedicine.wordpress.com/background-info/

"Safety Of Gardasil Vaccine Questioned"

http://www.whotv.com/news/who-story-gardasil-safety-072009,0,6312162.story

"Preventing Gardasil Vaccine Injuries & Deaths"

http://www.nvic.org/NVIC-Vaccine-News/July-2009/Preventing-Gardasil-Vaccine-Injuries-Deaths.aspx#comments

New Worries About Gardasil Safety

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/02/06/eveningnews/main4781658.shtml Please read the comments, too.

"Mystery epidemic hitting the UK after HPV jab"

"Since September of 2008 a mystery illness has struck the UK after the HPV jab was implemented in a school vaccine program."

Doctor who testified for Gardasil Mandate had financial ties to Merck

http://smallbusiness.mworld.com/m/m.w?lp=GetStory&id=244336661

We know the record on this when it comes to studies being & such. Just google, "common practice to fake studies and paid doctors to put their names on them" & search the pages for all the articles. We can no longer be taking the word of those guarding the hen house who clearly have vested & conflicts of interest.

[mofmars333]

Gardasil Victims – In Memoriam – Healthy Young Women – Aged 15 to 21

http://childhealthsafety.wordpress.com/2009/07/06/gardasil-victims/

[mofmars333]

Vaccine Watch: Gardasil Side-Effects?

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/07/08/couricandco/entry4240888.shtml#addcomm

Be sure to see the heartbreaking comments.

[Marcia G. Yerman - Huffpost Blogger]

Actually, I am quite aware of Dr. Harper, as she was the first person that I interviewed regarding Gardasil.
Her point of view will be represented in part four of the series.

[jeanruss]

Apparently you have not become aware of the statements of a top researcher who has come forward to state that the vaccine is worthless and will not affect the number of cervical cancers at all. She worked with Merck on the development of Gardisil. Her name is Dr. Diane Harper, and she has bravely come forward with the truth because she was upset at the marketing and deception regarding Gardisil. At www.naturalnews.com you can read more.

[Sheldon101]

The blog "Gardisil Side Effects" is hardly likely to be a tool of Big Pharma. Yet it agrees that Dr. Diane Harper was badly misquoted. Harper is not a poster child for the anti-vaccination or anti-Gardisil movement. The only conspiracy in evidence here is that of the anti-vaccination believers who favor propaganda over the more nuanced truth.
http://www.gardasilhpv.com/2009/10/dr-diane-harper-badly-misquoted-on.html

Frankly, I'd prefer any discussion of Diane Harper's views to wait until the 4th installment.

[Michelle R Anderson]

Hi Marcia - I'll be looking forward to hearing that interview with Dr. Harper. I wonder if some comments she has made in the past have been taken out of context, because it seems to me she's a strong proponent of the vaccine. She recently published a paper entitled, "Prevention of Human Papillomavirus Infections and Associated Diseases by Vaccination: A New Hope for Global Public Health" -- Aug 11, 2009 in Public Health Genomics in which she speaks very favorably about the vaccine and its ability to prevent not only cancer, but also cervical cancer precursors.

[vincealy]

Badly misquoted ?
http://thebulletin.us/articles/2009/10/25/top_stories/doc4ae4b76d07e16766677720.txt

"Gardasil Researcher Drops A Bombshell

Harper: Controversal Drug Will Do Little To Reduce Cervical Cancer Rates
By Susan Brinkmann, For The Bulletin
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Dr. Diane Harper, lead researcher in the development of two human papilloma virus vaccines, Gardasil and Cervarix, said the controversial drugs will do little to reduce cervical cancer rates and, even though they’re being recommended for girls as young as nine, there have been no efficacy trials in children under the age of 15.

Dr. Harper, director of the Gynecologic Cancer Prevention Research Group at the University of Missouri, made these remarks during an address at the 4th International Public Conference on Vaccination which took place in Reston, Virginia on Oct. 2-4. Although her talk was intended to promote the vaccine, participants said they came away convinced the vaccine should not be received.

“I came away from the talk with the perception that the risk of adverse side effects is so much greater than the risk of cervical cancer, I couldn’t help but question why we need the vaccine at all,” said Joan Robinson, Assistant Editor at the Population Research Institute.......