Gardasil Reactions Grab CNNs Attention

The interconnections of the internet are always amazing to me, and this one today is of course a benefit when you find your BLOG visited by a CNN link.

This connection came because of the several Gardasil related posts found on Natural Health News, which can be located via the BLOG SEARCH.

Consider that since the vast majority of incidents of HPV are self limiting, or may be treated naturally with herbs and homeopathy, or supplements to help boost immunity, why would you want to inject a substance into your child that is known to cause such reactions.

Reading the CNN story, however, made me think how consistent the arrogance of Bi Pharma corporations always seems to be, especially when their products are questioned surrounding adverse effects and health problems that are inflicted on the recipient or user.

I've highlight my favorites -

Should parents worry about HPV vaccine?

7,802 "adverse event" reports to CDC since Gardasil was approved

Reports claim drug caused nausea and paralysis -- even death

Vaccine manufacturer: Reports don't mean illnesses were caused by drug

Two girls allege in court that the vaccine made them sick

(CNN) -- A vaccine designed to prevent cervical cancer is coming under fresh scrutiny amid thousands of complaints linking it to a range of health problems.

Gardasil has been the subject of 7,802 "adverse event" reports from the time the Food and Drug Administration approved its use two years ago, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Girls and women have blamed the vaccine for causing ailments from nausea to paralysis -- even death. Fifteen deaths were reported to the FDA, and 10 were confirmed, but the CDC says none of the 10 were linked to the vaccine. The CDC says it continues to study the reports of illness.

Gardasil prevents the spread of human papillomavirus, known as HPV -- a sexually transmitted virus that can cause cervical cancer in a relatively small number of girls and women.

The vaccine's manufacturer, Merck & Co. Inc., says it has distributed more than 26 million Gardasil vaccines worldwide, including nearly 16 million in the United States. It estimates that 8 million girls and women have received the vaccine in the United States since June 2006.

Two girls allege in court that the vaccine made them sick.

One -- Jesalee Parsons of Broken Bow, Oklahoma -- got the shot at age 13.

Jesalee's lawyer, Michael McLaren, said she got the shot on February 27, 2007 and soon developed a fever and felt pain. The next day, he said, Jesalee felt pain in her chest and abdomen.

Her mother, Laura Parsons, said Jesalee spent weeks in the hospital and underwent two surgeries after developing pancreatitis. She says the federal government should have studied the drug more before approving its use.

"I just feel let down by the government," Parsons said.

Merck says it could be a coincidence that the girls got sick after receiving the vaccine.

The company said in a statement that an adverse event report "does not mean that a causal relationship between an event and vaccination has been established -- just that the event occurred after vaccination."

Merck said it would continue to evaluate reports of adverse reactions. It said it "updates product labels with new safety information as appropriate."
http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/conditions/07/07/cervical.cancer.vaccine