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July 8, 2008, 10:54 am
Flag as Inappropriate gbyrd  

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HPV Vaccine Blamed for Teen's Paralysis 

I came across this story on Fox News this morning claiming that the heavily supported HPV vaccine Gardasil is causing many unwanted side effects in those who have taken it, including nausea, blood clots, genital warts, paralysis and even death. I hope the experts didn't push this vaccine through in a Vioxx type manner because of alterior motives.

Here's the whole story:

HPV can be transmitted sexually, so many parents decided to give the vaccination to their teenaged daughters.

Now, Gardasil is making headlines again. This time, the drug’s manufacturer is under scrutiny as the vaccine’s recipients are complaining of ill side effects.

There have been more than 78,000 complaints about Gardasil, New England Cable News reported Tuesday.

Complaints have included nausea, blood clots, genital warts, paralysis and even death.

The Centers for Disease Control said the deaths are not linked to Gardasil.

Merck is standing by its product, insisting it is safe.

“I think of all the vaccines out there, this has been thoroughly tested prior to release,” said Dr. Manny Alvarez, managing health editor of FOXNews.com. “This is a vaccine that helps protect women from a very deadly disease. Therefore the benefits fully outweigh any side effect that has been found so far.

"However, I do believe that with any medication, constant surveillance of complications need to be monitored aggressively and in extreme cases, like this one, thorough investigations are necessary.”

The family of one teenager – who is only going by the name of Jenny – told CBS News Monday that their daughter was healthy until 15 months ago when she received the third installment of the vaccine.

Jenny’s parents said it was soon after that final shot that Jenny began to experience signs of degenerative muscle disease, and she is now almost completely paralyzed.

“There may be a link. But, there is no medical consensus on whether this hypothesis is stronger than other possible explanations,” said the parents of Jenny, 13, who lives in Northern California.

“Based on the facts we’ve received, the information does not suggest that this event was casually associated with vaccination.”

Since the drug was approved, eight million females have received the vaccination.

Alvarez also noted that vaccines respond differently to the each individual’s immune system.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,377688,00.html 

July 8, 2008, 11:08 am
Flag as Inappropriate SamIAm says...

I am glad I do not have a daughter when I think of this vacine. I think its a good idea, because I know too many young women who have had cervical cancer. I would want my daughter to have the vacine, but at the same time I am never too trusting of anything that is new. I fear they don't get a long enough testing time, and it seems that use among "real world people" is the only way to find out the problems! 

July 8, 2008, 11:44 am
Flag as Inappropriate Sierra says...

I have a daughter who is 8 right now. I do want her to have the vaccine when she is older, but this is a scary development. I have HPV, and have had some abnormal paps, so I know how scary the potential threat of cervical cancer can be. 

July 8, 2008, 5:16 pm
Flag as Inappropriate 2Ronnies says...

The point here is that cervical cancer can still occur, since the vax doesn't get rid of all causes of it. There is a risk girls will be lax with their pap smears because they think they cannot get cancer.

And since pap smears have been shown to be hugely successful why not just make those compulsory instead of something that might be causing all these problems? 

July 8, 2008, 6:51 pm
Flag as Inappropriate ewills says...

The vaccine has been administered to 8 million people, and 78,000 have had adverse side effects. I am sure some of those complaints include very minor issues. I am not a professional, but it seems that it is a very small percentage of those who are taking the medications are having any serious problems. When you weigh out how many potential lives will be saved from taking the vaccination vs. the those exspiriencing side effects , I think it is a risk that needs to be taken. 

July 8, 2008, 7:17 pm
Flag as Inappropriate BabeRuth says...

Just a thought here. All of these risks are being taken by our CHILDREN. Not by us, we are forcing them to take the risk.

Would you feel the same, if made aware of the risks and being told that you yourself had to take that risk? If you were told that here, there is a vaccine that may or may not prevent a condition that we already know can be picked up and treated well with regular smears, that you must take the vaccine and it could kill you or leave you paralysed?

Would you feel differently if it was you having to take the risks, instead of playing with your children's lives instead? 

July 12, 2008, 12:47 pm
Flag as Inappropriate DianaR says...

It is just amazing how many risks will surface when people don't want something to work.

There have been more successful vaccinations than those with complications, and many of the complications are not actually related to any specific vaccination but are associated more with the person receiving the vaccination. Hidden medical problems can crop up without notice.

Get the vaccination, girls. It is better than getting the cancer!