Vaccine bill, and Gardasil

[Shannon Nelson]

This came today from HSI e-alert, hsiresearch@healthiernews.com.

[...]

Dear Reader,

Worst Vaccine Bill Ever

That's what some are calling a pending New York Assembly Bill that
would require all children in the state to receive EVERY vaccine
recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Mandatory. A total of twenty vaccinations – some requiring multiple
doses.

This is guaranteed to do two things: 1) Make boatloads of money for
drug companies, and 2) Put many young women in danger.

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Chill pill
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Hey, everybody – relax! That was the basic message last month from a
CDC/FDA review of problems linked to Gardasil, the vaccine that helps
prevent human papillomavirus (HPV) in women. And yes, Gardasil is on
the CDC's list of recommended vaccines.

By CDC/FDA estimates, 94 percent of the health issues linked to
Gardasil are "nonserious" events (sure – nonserious as long as they
don't happen to YOUR daughter), leaving six percent classified as
severe.

So let's do the dirty math. The FDA has received more than 9,700
adverse event reports. That means more than 580 young women have
suffered severe reactions, including seizure, convulsions, and death.

But not to worry. Why? Because the CDC/FDA report notes that Merck has
distributed more than 16 million doses of Gardasil in the U.S., and
adds: "Given the large number of doses distributed, it is expected
that, by chance alone, serious adverse events and some deaths will be
reported in this large population during the time period following
vaccinations."

So it's probably just a weird coincidence! That's the best they've
got, and they're stickin' to it.

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Lulled into thinking
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Meanwhile – out here in the reality-based world – there's a growing
awareness that something isn't quite right with this vaccine. And that
awareness begins in an unlikely place.

Diane Harper, M.D., was one of the principal investigators in the
initial Gardasil trials. When the vaccine was approved two years ago,
Dr. Harper called the it the biggest advance since the Pap smear.

But last month, in an interview with Medscape Medical News, Dr. Harper
said: "The side effects that have been reported are real and they
cannot be brushed aside."

She's also concerned that Gardasil is getting a reputation as a
cervical cancer vaccine. It's not. It's an HPV vaccine. Dr. Harper:
"Even if everyone was vaccinated, we would still have cervical cancer.
I don't want people to be lulled into thinking this will prevent
cancer."

That's an astonishing comment coming from someone who actually tested
and then championed this vaccine. Especially because lulling people
into thinking Gardasil will prevent cancer seems to be EXACTLY what
Merck's advertising attempts to do. Here's one of the first comments
you'll find on the Gardasil web site: "Gardasil is the only cervical
cancer vaccine that helps protect against 4 types of human
papillomavirus."

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Tell your daughters
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I hope you'll help us get the word out about Gardasil. Please forward
this e-Alert along to any young women or parents of school-age girls to
let them know about these four key reasons why they should think long
and hard before they accept this vaccine:
during annual gynecological exams,
assurance that the virus will be caught early
several years
You can find more information about Gardasil dangers in the e-Alert
"Stop Right There" (6/3/08).

[Tanya Marquette]

the bill you refer to was not passed last month, nor was the
immediate follow up bill to mandate meningitis for all entering
college students. however, you know these bills will surface
again in some form or other. be it known as well, that nys
wanted to remove all exemptions for these 65 mandated
shots to young children--yes 23 vaccines with 65 shots is
the cdec recommendation!

new yorkers as well as others should be writing massively
to state legislators and governor patterson.

tanya