Posted on 09/20/2007 4:02:03 PM PDT by wagglebee
TORONTO, September 20, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - As Canada, in large part due to aggressive behind the scenes lobbying, rolls out the not-comprehensively-tested Merck HPV vaccine for girls as young as nine, a look at developments on the vaccine south of the border should cause Canadians serious concern. In the United States a similar lobby campaign by the same company launched the mass HPV vaccination of girls beginning in June last year.
In just little over a year, the HPV vaccine have been associated with at least five deaths, not to mention thousands of reports of adverse effects, hundreds deemed serious, and many that required hospitalization.
Judicial Watch, a US government watchdog, became concerned while noting large donations to key politicians originating from Merck. A freedom of information request from the group in May of this year discovered that during the period from June 8, 2006 - when the vaccines received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - to May 2007 there were 1,637 reports of adverse reactions to the HPV vaccine reported to the FDA.
Three deaths were related to the vaccine, including one of a 12-year-old. One physician's assistant reported that a female patient "died of a blood clot three hours after getting the Gardasil vaccine." Two other reports, on girls 12 and 19, reported deaths relating to heart problems and/or blood clotting.
As of May 11, 2007, the 1,637 adverse vaccination reactions reported to the FDA via the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) included 371 serious reactions. Of the 42 women who received the vaccine while pregnant, 18 experienced side effects ranging from spontaneous abortion to fetal abnormities.
Side effects published by Merck & Co. warn the public about potential pain, fever, nausea, dizziness and itching after receiving the vaccine. Indeed, 77% of the adverse reactions reported are typical side effects to vaccinations. But other more serious side effects reported include paralysis, Bells Palsy, Guillain-Barre Syndrome, and seizures.
Judicial Watch informed LifeSiteNews.com that a subsequent request for information on adverse reactions to the HPV vaccine, covering the period from May 2007 to September 2007, found that an additional 1800 adverse reactions have been reported, including more deaths. exactly how many more deaths will be released in the coming days, Judicial Watch's Dee Grothe informed LifeSiteNews.com.
The LifeSiteNews.com report on the moneyed lobbying efforts of Merck in the US was reported in February. (see http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/feb/07020204.html )
However the Canadian lobby effort by Merck's Canadian affiliate Merck Frosst Canada has been underway using powerful lobbyists with close connections to the politicians who have signed off on massive government funded vaccination programs.
The Toronto Star recently reported that Merck Frosst Canada Ltd hired public relations giant Hill & Knowlton to push the immunization strategies using some well-connected lobbyists: Ken Boessenkool, a former senior policy adviser to Prime Minister Stephen Harper; Bob Lopinski, formerly with Premier Dalton McGuinty's office; and Jason Grier, former chief of staff to Health Minister George Smitherman.
Harper's Conservative Government approved Merck's HPV vaccine Gardasil in July and later announced a $300 million program to give the vaccine to girls from ages 9-13. That of course is only the beginning of what Merck likely hopes will be a much larger vaccination of all potentially sexually active women in Canada. In August, McGuinty's Ontario Liberals, on the advice of his Health Minister George Smitherman, announced that all Grade 8 girls will have free access to Gardasil.
One of the major complaints by physicians is that the HPV vaccination program has been implemented before adequate testing has been completed. Long-term effects of the vaccine remain unknown. Many are asking why the huge, seemingly reckless rush?
At least one answer to that question comes from the fact that Merck currently is the sole provider of an HPV vaccine with its Gardasil product. A competing HPV vaccine, Glaxo Smith Kline's Cervarix, is set to hit the market in January 2008. As more children are vaccinated with Gardasil, fewer will be able to later receive the necessary repeat boosters of a competing, incompatible vaccine. Merck is in a race to capture as much of the market as it can, consuming many millions of government tax dollars.
US sales of Gardasil are expected to reach $1 billion in the first year of its availability.
The reports from the FDA Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System detailing the three previous deaths are available here:
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007_docs/GardasilVAERSDeath...
The reports detailing all 1637 adverse effects are here:
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007_docs/GardasilVAERSRepor...
And as for those who talk about other vaccines (polio, mumps, measles, etc.) these are for diseases that spread through everyday interaction. This drug DOES NOT protect against cancer, it protects against SOME STRAINS of ONE SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE.
No one should be surprised by this. Thank you (plural, please ping your known accomplices) for the many early warnings. I wonder how many girls and young women were spared because of your concern.
Oh my, big pharma strikes again. They develop drugs that cause a person to become a homicidal manic...and kills their whole family. They’re not held accountable [they settle with families in secret for multi-million dollars and the deaths just keep marching on.]
Of course, a proper PPP would probably be Merck providing the 300 million dollars and then getting their money back through vaccination fees or regular payments from the government. But I think the actual arrangement still qualifies.
There is no comparison, IMO, with this vaccine and the others you mention.
If someone wants there daughter to get the vaccine, fine with me and such a vaccine should be available...........my major objection is so many states seeking to make it mandatory.
That said, without knowing the nature of the adverse events and patient histories, the suggestion that the vaccine is dangerous is inappropriate.
True.. but that disease.. once through to be rather innocuous turns out to be a major CAUSE of the cancer.
Which drug is that?
I appreciate your kind words, but my concerns were not totally altruistic — I have a 9 year old daughter.
I do not object to the vaccine per se, Merck pushing to get government to mandate it for girls as young as 9, without enough research, has been my major gripe about this all along.
The lobbyists need to be put in their place. I’m not a “there oughta be a law” kind of person, but it seriously should be illegal for corporations to mandate their products through government.
“Well over 70% of males carry the HPV virus, so it is a huge risk.”
Then why wasn’t a vaccine developed for boys who are spreading the disease?
But, I think you’re missing the entire point. The point was that many states were MANDATING this vaccine...and taking kickbacks from Merck to boot!
If a PARENT wants to give this to their child, it should be THEIR choice. Schools and states were MANDATING that young girls have this shot prior to being allowed to go to school. No shots for the boys, though.
It’s a Nanny State issue, not so much whether the vaccine is useful or not.
I agree totally.
Funny how they’re considered women when we talk about their sexual activity, but when we talk about their right to know what the vaccine is they’re children.
If the children receiving the vaccine don’t have a right to know what it is, why bother telling the parents? Especially if it’s mandatory anyway. It’s not like knowing would do them any good.
STDs are NOT spread through ordinary contact. If parents want to get there daughters this shot that’s fine, but Merck (which is no doubt eager for a “home run” after the Vioxx fiasco) is trying to make this mandatory and that I have a problem with.
Great points!
Thanks for the ping.
People should refuse this. At least until further testing.
My mother was offered Thalidomide when she was pregnant with me.
She refused.
Mine too.
You got unbelievably lucky!
I’m not letting my 12 year old get it. I will chat with the Dr. next month just to see what she says.
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