Posted on 12/19/2007 4:02:50 PM PST by wagglebee
Medical health authorities have repeatedly assured us that Gardasil, the vaccine injection given to young girls to allegedly prevent cervical cancer, is perfectly safe. For example, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization, a group of medical specialists, endorsed the vaccine last February. The Society of Gynecologic Oncologists of Canada claims the vaccine is safe, as does Dr. David Butler-Jones, Canada's Chief Public Health Officer. The Canadian Pediatric Society and the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada have also endorsed the vaccine.
These medical authorities, however, are puzzled and also indignant that the use of this vaccine still remains controversial, ever since it was rolled out in lightening speed after Ottawa announced a $300 million funding package for participant provinces. After all, they reason, they have approved the drug, so what is the problem? Surely their expert opinion should be sufficient to allay the public's fears about the drug?
The reason the public has good reason to distrust the judgement of these medical authorities is because of their experience with them. It is a fact that the public has heard many similar assurances about other drugs, and used them to their lasting regret. For example:
- In the 1960's, thalidomide was pronounced a safe drug for pregnant women experiencing morning sickness. It was not safe, as thousands of adults with flipper arms and legs can attest.
- In the 1960's, the birth control pill was developed and women were assured that its use had no harmful side effects. Studies now report that the pill can be the cause of a greatly increased risk of stroke, heart attack and blood clots if taken for eight years or more. (British Journal of Medicine, 16 or 17 September, 2007).
- Between 1938 and 1971, as many as 4 million U.S. women and many Canadian women took the drug, diethylstilbestrol (DES) to prevent miscarriage. Daughters of these women who were exposed to DES in utero have experienced a range of structural reproductive tract abnormalities in the uterus, cervix and vagina. The incidents of abnormality occurs in 18% of cases, but it may be as high as 33% in women exposed to DES in utero. The male offspring of women who took DES during pregnancy, also have an increased incidence of genital abnormalities and a possibility of increased risk of prostrate and testicular cancer.
- Merck Frosst, the manufacturer of Gardasil, also developed a much-acclaimed painkiller called Vioxx, that was subsequently used by thousands of individuals suffering from arthritis. Unfortunately, the drug had the side effect of causing heart attacks and strokes. As a result, the medication was taken off the market in 2004 and Merck Frosst is now facing thousands of class action suits amounting to billions of dollars in claims.
- By 2001, 15 million women in the U.S. alone, as well a millions of women in Canada and abroad, were taking hormone-replacement therapy (H.R.T.). It became one of the most popular prescription drug treatments for menopause, supposedly to allow women to lead a long and healthier life. However, in July 2002, estrogen therapy was exposed as a hazard to health, rather than a benefit. It was found to constitute a potential health risk for post-menopausal women by increasing risks of heart disease, stroke, blood clots and breast cancer. The question lingers unanswered, as to how many women may have died prematurely because their physician prescribed this medication? A reasonable estimate would be tens of thousands of women. (New York Times, September 16, 2007).
- Europe's largest drug manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline developed and sold the diabetic drug Avandia, it's second best selling product last year, which was subsequently linked to a higher risk of heart attacks according to a study released in May 2007. This caused sales of the drug to drop 38%.
These are just a few examples of the here-today gone-tomorrow nature of medical wisdom. What we are advised about with confidence one year is reversed the next. One of the contributing factors to this reversal is that the kind of experimental trials necessary to determine the truth about the medication is excessively expensive and time-consuming and very often does not happen. Hence, the problem with these new drugs so enthusiastically recommended by the medical profession.
It is alarming that Gardasil's approval was based on the testing of only a few thousand patients and almost not at all (only 1200) on young girls, 9-13 years old, who are targeted for injection of the drug. (See REALity Sept/Oct. 2007, p. 5)
As its marketing plan, Merck Frosst used lobbyists with access to important public officials. In Canada, Ken Boessenkool, now with the public relations firm of Hill and Knowlton in Calgary, lobbied the federal government on Merck Frosst's behalf. Mr. Boessenkool was a former advisor to Prime Minister Stephen Harper when he was opposition leader. Jason Grier, former executive assistant to Ontario Health Minister George Smitherman, also lobbied on behalf of Merck and Ontario has now decided to administer the drug to young girls.
Even though only approximately 2-5% of women have Pap smears with cell changes due to HPV, the medication was pushed as a preventative cure for cervical cancer. However, no mention was made of the fact that the drug does not protect against other sexually transmitted diseases, such as chlamydia, herpes, hepatitis, trichomoniasis, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, AIDS, etc. It's all promotion; facts do not count.
The long-term consequences of Gardasil are not known. The manufacturer admits this and agrees it does not know its effect on young girls' cancer risk, on their immunity system, on their reproductive system, or its genetic effects. In due course, we will know this, possibly in twenty or thirty years from now when these young girls, the innocent subjects of the Gardasil experiment have become grown women and then report the consequences of their having taken the medication in their childhood on medical advice.
This artcicle was originally published in the Nov./Dec. edition of REAL Women of Canada's Reality magazine. Republished with permission.
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this is clearly sexist. the drug should be given to young men as well!
Why don’t they make it optional and let people decide.
Since the drug is out there, why don’t they just let people who want it get it for themselves?
Once they institute the vaccination as an optional policy (no vaccination choice allowed), very soon it will morph into a standard policy with the onus to opt out on the shoulders of the dissenters. After that, it will go the way of most bureaucratic operations, i.e., the pressure will be brought to bear on the non-conformists. Soon after, it will be uniform compliance without exception.
The “they’re gonna have sex so you might as well keep them ‘safe’” crowd hasn’t shown up yet?
Nope, is "American Idol" or some similar worthless garbage on TV tonight? The "they're gonna do it anyway" crowd seems drawn to that type of garbage.
Because it might case painful periods, loss of pregnancy, mutations, and have unexpected side effects.
Also people might demand that it actually be tested over several years ... and the stock market cannot wait.
In the long run, I dont really think they want to prevent you from getting cancer? If the doctor gave you a pill to make you healthy, you would never come back.
Which is why my child won’t be subjected to Gardasil vaccinations.
I made that decision after serious consideration, weighing the potential risks and benefits.
Very few potential benefits, an unknown number of potential risks.
With no family history of cervical cancer, it was less difficult for me to make my decision, than it would be for any parent who does have a family history that includes cervical cancer.
I can’t speak for any of them, obviously.
But I will not accept mandatory “experimental” vaccinations for my own daughter, under these circumstances.
And yes, I did vaccinate my child against certain debilitating diseases, knowing the risks and benefits.
What? In America? Your kidding right?
Jonas Salk was the same type of SOB. He tested his polio vaccine on himself, his wife and HIS OWN CHILDREN before anyone else. My heavens, they should have taken his kids away from him! This vaccine was practically untested when it was given to millions of children (The Polio Pioneers) who MAYBE would have gotten polio had they not been vaccinated.
Instead, the polio vaccine should have been tested for approximately 20-30 years to make sure children who received it would not later develop some side effect apparent only later in life. Now, polio used to paralyze about 25,000 people a year in the US, but hey, better safe than sorry.
Let these girls get HPV and cervical cancer. Serves the dirty little tramps right for having sex before marriage!
That’s just scratching the surface of things the medical community has been wrong about. We don’t trust them because they don’t deserve the trust. They’re going to have to earn it instead of getting all indignant that the ignorant unwashed masses should deign to question their current pronouncements. Their arrogant, condescending attitudes do nothing to help the matter.
The general public has a better memory for the debacles that have occurred than the medical community would like; and apparently, a better memory that the medical community has.
The usual reason.... $$$$$$$$
ping
MOM Ping.........
Medical reasons, actually the unknown medical effects of this drug, not moral reasons is why I oppose this drug being mandated by the government for our daughters.
This might also qualify as a nanny ping.
I object to it being mandated just on principle alone. I just can’t see that a bunch of non-medically trained politicians who can’t even oversee that the DMV or post office is run right, is qualified to make personal medical decisions for me.
A Pap test can detect abnormalities that could lead to cervical cancer. Mandating a vaccine is not necessary.
If the HPV vaccine had been as thoroughly tested as the polio vaccine, there’d be less resistance. Aside from he fact that polio is a highly contagious disease and HPV isn’t, there’s no need to mandate the vaccine.
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