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The HPV vaccine
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An Old-Fashioned Girl
According to the CDC, every year about 11,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and about 4,000 of them die. In the last 5 years, a vaccine has been developed to prevent cervical cancer that is caused by the Human Papilloma virus. The Gardisil® vaccine was released in 2006. It was validated by both the FDA and the CDC to be a safe and effective vaccine. To date, there have been over 23 million doses dispensed. It is given in 3 shots over a 6 month period to girls aged 11-12 and up. It is recommended for any female from 10-26.
There have been 11,916 reports to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). Of those, 94% were defined as non-serious. However, 6% of the reports were defined as serious. These were reports of Guillain Barre Syndrome, blood clots, and severe muscle weakness that occurred shortly after getting the vaccine. To date, there is no clear causative evidence, but the reports are worrisome. There have been 32 deaths related to the vaccine in the United States.
On March 15th, 2009, Jenny Tetlock died of an ALS type paralyzing illness. She was 15 years old. After a year of tests, no one could state what was the matter with her. It was believed to be a rare autoimmune disorder or perhaps, juvenile ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). Her family is not claiming that the vaccine was the cause of death, but they do want it established that all of her symptoms began shortly after getting her first HPV vaccine. According to a family website, there are 2 other cases of juvenile ALS after the HPV vaccine. Juvenile ALS is a very rare condition that affects only about one in 2 million people. Please note: at this point, there is no evidence to relate or prove that this vaccine causes this problem.
One problem with the vaccine is that it carries a negative connotation because it is related to a “sexual behavior.” We would be naïve to assume that “our little girl” would not have sex; recent surveys show that 47.8% of all high school students have had sexual intercourse. Data from Georgia birth records show that 325 girls under the age of 14 gave birth last year in Georgia.
Important things to know if you decide to get the vaccine:
- The Gardisil® vaccine is considered to be more painful than routine vaccinations. There have been a higher than usual number of people fainting after having it.
- Many insurance companies will not cover it; so check first if you decide to have your child vaccinated. It is very expensive.
- It is probably not wise to get this vaccine in conjunction with any other.
- For ANY vaccine, report any side effect to the VAERS (see below).
By law, health providers must report any side effect after vaccination but anyone can file a report. You can report by:
• Internet: Report on-line at https://secure.vaers.org
• Fax: Fax the completed report form to 1-877-721-0366 (toll-free)
For More Information:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/acip/downloads/mtg-slides-oct08/12-3-hpv.pdf
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/vaers/gardasil.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/STDFact-HPV-vaccine-young-women.htm
Website for the Vaccine Reporting System: http://vaers.hhs.gov/
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