Saturday, February 10, 2007
One Less Campaign--Gardisil Vaccination
I would like to say something about this new HPV vaccination. When I first heard about this and saw the commerical I approached it with much enthusiasm, believing it to be a good thing. Now that I have read more about it--and especially the way in which the state(federal and state governments) are going about trying to recruit parents to get their children to take this vaccine, and have factored in the implications of targeting vulnerable young girls, particularly young women of color, I absolutely do not support the Gardisil vaccine and I believe that the state should not impose itself upon the parents of these children or force this vaccine. I stand with the anti-gardisil crowd.
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12 comments:
I agree, it's all about money and I don't feel that they know enough about the long term effects of the vaccine. We"re giving this to our daughters the future mothers, imagine if this drug caused reproductive complications, there goes the hopes of all the little girls that were vaccinated.
Hey, I stumbled upon your site via Google, and I just wanted to agree. I'm 17 and my doctor pressed me to get it. When I declined, she took my mom out into the hall and then had her tell me to get it.
When I refused, she reminded me that it would soon be mandatory in my state.
Not if I have anything to do with it. It's a ridiculously dangerous vaccine, and is being pushed on young females in a totally absurd and inappropriate way.
I join you in the anti-gardisil stand.
I just wanted to say that I contracted HPV through protected sex(apparently from an area with no symptoms yet not covered by a condom) and have to live with it, and the threat of it turning into cancerous cells for the rest of my life-which by all indications the strain I have has already given me problems. So for the record I am for the vaccination--they have tested it enough for it to be passed by the FDFA, and can find solutions to anyproblems that arise, probably faster than they can find a cure to a cancer that kills, from what i have read 50 percent of its victims. Good Luck to those of you who choose not to get it, but remember this is something you can catch even with protection.
When I first learned about the vaccine-- I was all for it as well. I still am not against people recieving the vaccine. However, I do not believe the government should make this mandatory. There are a lot of implications there.
I also have contracted HPV and am currently undergoing the vaccinations to prevent future strains of the virus. The strain I have, however, causes genital warts. I am terrified of this and feel like I am the most disgusting and shameful person for have contracted an STD. But I am all for the vaccination as to helping future girls go through this. But as far as it being madatory, I don't believe someone should be made to take it...especially as young as 9 years old. But Vaccines do save lives. Small pox was wiped out by it....wouldn't it be awsome if the same could someday happen for cervial cancers?
I'm coming to this discussion REALLY late. I'm researching for my own blog post on the topic.
Smallpox was NOT completely wiped out by vaccines, though I must admit that it did help ALMOST wipe it out. It was a rampant problem - unlike 9 year old girls getting an STD.
What Merck isn't making widely known is that Gardasil only "protects" against a few strains of HPV and there are about a hundred strains that are known. MOST of them go away on their own or with treatment - MOST do not lead to cancer. Yes, there are a few that do.
They also changed their campaign to include that the vaccine is only good for about 5 years and girls/women will have to be re-vaccinated to remain protected against those few strains. I agree with a former commenter that there has not been enough time to find out all of the side effects of this vaccine. Is the risk of having to have treatment for HPV greater than the risk of what this vaccine could do to women's bodies?
Still thinking this one through. I'm in the anti-gardasil group.
"Government enforced vaccinations" is a whole other topic!
In 1962, I was a chemist with the FDA, pregnant, working in New Orleans, heading to the rest room to throw up every morning when I got to work after driving through the fumes of dark roasting coffee. There was a new drug at that time called thalidomide that was said to treat morning sickness. The FDA had refused to approve it because there was not enough research, and they got a lot of bad press over it. It was available in Europe so rich people went to Europe to get it, and 10,000 babies were born with birth defects including flippers for arms and hands. My 45 year old daughter could have been one of them if not for the ethics and integrity (at that time) of the FDA. I was proud to work for that agency. I would be ashamed to work for them today -- although the people on the front lines are not the ones who make these decisions. In my opinion the FDA is now a pimp for the pharmaceutical industry which, along with the insurance industry, is ruling the so-called healthcare system in this country.
I recently had my childrens' doctor approach me during a visit on having my 15 year old vaccinated with Gardisal. I explained that I would have to investigate all the studies, side effects, anything to do with this. She then said they were holding a "clinic" for teen girls in June and if interested call our insurance co. to see if the vaccine was covered; since it is new most insurance won't cover it ( I thought at first why? If this is such a wonderful preventive tool why wouldn't they cover, but then realized I was thinking of insurance co's and they don't like paying for alot of things).
After reading some many reports on Gardisal and their studies, side effects and such. I'm not comfortable even considering this for any of my 3 daughters. I would hate that years down the road they would have some major complication from this vaccine. I know some people say : It's better to be safe than sorry", right now with it being so new, how do you really know that you are being safe. For me there just ins't enough conclusive evidence (not just that reports put out by the Drug maker) , or enough statistcal data for me to be comfortable.
I am definitely anti-gardasil. First of all, there's recently been news that there are many side effects (including genital warts, for goodness sake). Plus, wouldn't it be much safer to avoid unhealthy sex practices than inject yourself with something that could cause other problems? As a 22 year old woman in a committed marriage, I was just plain annoyed when my doctor tried to force this vaccine on me. I think it is completely unethical to offer something to young girls which could make them think they are safe when having unprotected sex which is not the case at all even if they do get this vaccine..
I've heard reports of paralysis and deaths of young girls within days of having their vaccines. And remember that this is the company that manufactured Vioxx. I'm anti-gardasil.
I understand that only three or four of the 100-odd HPV strains are covered by the vaccine, and tough luck if you come in contact with a strain not covered.
For those who already have HPV, suggest you google 'Mary Enig' or 'coconut oil' - you could be surprised.
Even if the vaccine were successful against all strains for the 5 years, as HPV is usually contracted via intimate contact, I feel it is very inappropriate to be suggested for children. It supposes that they are at risk, and infers bad parenting.
If I were the parent of a child, and were being pressed to have them vaccinated I would be very affronted indeed.
My 13 year old daughter died in late 2008 from a pulmonary embolism after receiving all three rounds of the gardisil vaccine. Its not safe, although not all girls are getting sick and dying what about the small percent that are. I would of never sacificed my daughter to this vaccine if I would of known one girl died from. And there are now about 30 known cases. Please america wake up, prevent more deaths.
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