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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.
Chill pill
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.
Lulled into thinking
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."
Tell your daughters
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:
HPV is easily detected and treated when women have Pap screening during annual gynecological exams,
Along with Pap screening, adding the HPV Test offers even greater assurance that the virus will be caught early HPV does not always cause cervical cancer
The full scope of the dangers of this vaccine won't be known for several years.