The NVIC appears to confuse association with causation. The VAERS system if very clear that it collects every report, without distinguishing the two. The data is then further analyzed by the CDC. I'll believe the CDC over the NVIC.
This is not to say I believe Merck on everything - I don't, and have my beefs with the pharmaceutical industry. But to equate Vioxx and Gardasil is a little silly. Are you advising people to stop taking Singulair or Zocor because they are Merck products?
I am not equating VIOXX and Gardasil. I am saying that they are both made by the same company and the company has claimed at their release to the public that they were safe. It is the screw me once shame on you; screw me twice, shame on me scenario. Only now the drug is targeted at developing females, and I say that it is best to err on the side of (over)caution.
As far as whether I feel that people should stop taking Singulair and Zocor, I would say in many cases yes. The drug companies bombard consumers with commercials telling them that they need 'this' medication. This country is over medicated! Patients should not be telling their doctor that they can't get a boner, so they need Viagra, or their legs are heavy and restless so they need Requip. They should be telling their physician the symptoms they are experiencing and let the doctor tell them their treatment options. But thanks to relentless advertising, patients are now prescribing medication for themselves and going to a doctor to get his/her signature on a script. Probably not the system that Hippocrates had in mind.