Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Gardasil/Cervarix HPV Vaccine Controversy Reaches Katie Couric Talk Show..





Dear all,

As promised, I said I would let you know when the show is going to be aired – well here it is, Wednesday 4th December 2013.

 See link below and post your comments on ‘Join the Conversation’.   Now please this is your chance to post your comments of how your girls and boys were injured by the HPV vaccines – Gardasil and Cervarix. 

Circulate to all you know and make sure that they post a comment also on this first link. 

THIS IS YOUR BIG CHANCE TO GET YOUR VOICES HEARD.  THE WORLD WILL NOW BE WATCHING AND LISTENING AND THIS IS WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING SO HARD FOR.  PLEASE REMEMBER TO IDENTIFY WHERE YOU COME FROM – IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THEY GET TO KNOW THAT THIS IS A WORLDWIDE PROBLEM.


Below is the link for those in the USA who can check what time the show will air on a State by State basis on 4th December.


Finally, this is the link for those outside of the USA who can click on the picture of Today’s Show and should be able to watch it live from your computers. 

Ok the show is being aired at 10 am Eastern Time in the States, then for the UK that will be 3 pm.  However, you will be able to click on it at any time during the day and watch for yourself.  This also should apply wherever you live.


We will endeavour also to find out how your comments and hopefully thousands of comments from viewers can be posted after the show has been aired.

Watch this space.

For those who do not have injured young people, then please also comment to give your views on the HPV vaccines and why you believe that they are causing so much harm on a worldwide basis.

Thank you all – now please let your voices be heard.

Freda Birrell, Secretary
SaneVax Inc




Why VAERS Is A Passive Reporting System 
That The FDA Loves To Quote By Cynthia A. Janak

Saturday, November 23, 2013

My Personal Battle After Gardasil AND Gardasil: Nothing But Anguish For My Daughter





 My Personal Battle After Gardasil AND Gardasil: Nothing But   Anguish For My Daughter


 

My Personal Battle After Gardasil

NOVEMBER 20, 2013 BY  Jennifer Guldin, Bell Buckle Tennessee

  
My name is Jennifer Guldin, and I am 27 years old. Gardasil has impacted the lives of everyone I care about.

I am married to the most wonderful man, Dustin.  God truly knew what He was doing when He had our paths cross seven years ago.  He has been such a blessing in my life, and I truly do not know what I would do without him.  I have the most amazingly beautiful and smart little girl, named Gracyn.  She is my motivation and the reason I am able to get up every single morning, and fight this battle.  My story would not be complete without my mom.  She is my rock and my hero; words cannot describe how truly amazing she is.

I am unique from a lot of the girls that have been injured by Gardasil, because I did not receive the vaccine until I was 25 years old.  I was already happily married and had a beautiful 3-year old daughter, prior to receiving the Gardasil vaccination.  Gardasil has not only affected me, but it has also affected my loved ones who have had to witness me suffer on a daily basis for the last two years. I truly believe it has been equally difficult for them, just in a different way.

Life before Gardasil

In high school I was very active.  I was a cheerleader, which I absolutely loved!  I also enjoyed dance, gymnastics, and exercising, among many other activities.  After graduating high school, I went on to college where I met the love of my life, Dustin.  We were married in July of 2007 on the beautiful beach in Perdido Key, Florida.  God then blessed us with a beautiful and amazing little girl named Gracyn in August of 2008.  Life was near perfect in my eyes!  Other than two knee surgeries, from previous cheerleading injuries, and being fatigued as a new mother, I was in very good health.  This all changed in September of 2011.

I visited my OB/GYN for my annual pap smear in September of 2011 and was approached about the Gardasil vaccination.  The nurse explained to me that Gardasil was to prevent against a sexually transmitted disease, HPV, and that there were absolutely no side effects.  I told her that I was happily married and was not concerned about sexually transmitted diseases.

She then proceeded to present various scenarios to me:  what if my husband has an affair or what if he passes away, and I remarry.  I was starting to get annoyed with her at this point because she was not addressing the reason I was there, and now I even felt like she was attacking my marriage.  I once again expressed my disinterest in the vaccine.  She threw the words “cancer prevention” out there!  The nurse continued and mentioned that I was about to turn 26 years old, and once I did my insurance would no longer pay for me to receive the very expensive Gardasil vaccine.  If I changed my mind later, I would have to pay for it out of pocket.

After taking into consideration that my mom had breast cancer not too long ago and that it would probably be silly for me to pass up something that could protect me from going through what she did, I reluctantly agreed to get the Gardasil vaccine.  That single moment has negatively impacted the past two years of my life and quite possibly may affect the rest of my life. 

Life after Gardasil

Although I was very sick after the first two Gardasil injections, the third injection was the most debilitating.  After my third Gardasil vaccination, I was bedridden for approximately six months, which is especially difficult when you are a stay-at-home mom with an active preschooler.  Preparing meals for my daughter or even doing a simple load of laundry was a huge task, and afterwards, I was wiped out with fatigue and even more nauseous than when I first woke up.  The abdominal and pelvic pain was excruciating.  Many times while walking across the floor, the sharp shooting pains would instantly bring me to my knees.

In addition to abdominal and pelvic pain, I also suffer from non-epileptic seizures since being injured by the Gardasil vaccine.  We had saved money to take our daughter to Disney World in Orlando, Florida for her 4th birthday in 2012; of course I wasn’t planning on being sick.  I didn’t want to let my family down, so even though I was reluctant to go on our trip, I did.  I thought I was very prepared with motion sickness patches, Zofran, and Phenerghan to hopefully “get me through” the trip. 

I hated to have the attitude of trying to just “get through” our Disney World trip, because it was a special time since it was my daughter’s first time to go.  However, that was exactly how I felt.  Not only did I have to be pushed around in a wheel chair the majority of our vacation due to extreme weakness, but I also experienced my first non-epileptic seizure.  I was lying in our hotel bed one night when my entire body began to shake uncontrollably.  I was overcome with extreme nausea, and although I was aware of what was happening, I was unable to effectively communicate with my husband.  It was terrifying not being in control of my body.  The paramedics arrived to our hotel room, after the “episode” had passed, where they determined I probably had a panic attack.

The nausea and abdominal and pelvic pain were extremely debilitating for me; thankfully it subsided, for the most part, after a very long six months.  I was then greeted with what has been labeled as “migraines with aura, hemiplegic migraines, ocular migraines, and menstrual migraines.” These were very frightening for me, as they mimic strokes.

One morning I was sitting at my dining room table making hair bows for my daughter.  My daughter came in the room to ask me a question, and when I looked up to answer her, it was as if her face was a puzzle, and the center piece was missing.  I immediately went into panic mode, thinking I was going blind.  Moments later my peripheral vision disappeared.  It was terrifying!  Thankfully, my husband was home for his lunch break from work, so he rushed me to the hospital.  On the way to the hospital, my vision returned to normal, but then the left side of my body began to go numb.  First, my fingers and left hand went numb, and then the numbness migrated up my left arm and to the left side of my face.  Once the numbness wore off, I had the most horrific head pain, apparently a migraine.  This was one of the times since being injured by Gardasil that I was quite certain I was actually going to lose my life.  I have never been more terrified.

I have since had three major “episodes” of this nature that consist of temporary vision loss and distortion, numbness in my left hand, left arm, and left side of my face, followed by the most excruciating head pain I have ever experienced in my life.

In addition to the migraines, non-epileptic seizures, abdominal and pelvic pain, and severe nausea, I have also experienced:

§  extreme brain fog
§  internal tremors (I can feel them throughout my body, however they are not visible),
§  extreme temperature intolerance
§  food allergies
§  extreme light, smell, and noise sensitivity
§  dizziness
§  joint pain and stiffness
§  tingling in hands and feet
§  hair loss
§  lightheadedness
§  extreme fatigue
§  blurry vision
§  chest pains
§  muscle weakness, especially left-side (all three injections were given in the left arm)
§  out of body experiences
§  heavy menstrual cycles
§  flu-like symptoms
§  abdominal bloating
§  mouth sores
§  constipation/diarrhea
§  gait disturbances
§  pressure in head
§  feelings of intense electric shock or sensation in my head
   
When I get up each morning and look into the mirror, I have to tell myself that it’s really me looking back.  I do not feel like “me” anymore.  I feel like a stranger living in this body.  I watch in envy as others’ lives continue on, I want so badly to have my “normal, near perfect” life back again.

I refuse to accept that this is my new “normal.”  I have to overcome this, if not for myself, then for my beautiful daughter.  She is growing and changing every single day, and although I’m here physically with her, mentally I feel as if I am elsewhere; I am lost.

Gardasil has already stolen so much from me and my loved ones.  My family, especially my husband and my mom, miss the girl that they once knew…I miss her too.  I know that their love for me has not changed, but I hate knowing how difficult this has been for them.  I feel like a burden to those around me, not because they make me feel that way, but because I have lost so much of my independence since Gardasil.  I have to rely on others to help me with things that I was once able to do on my own.  Every time I have an “attack” it sets me back several weeks to months in my recovery process; it’s very frustrating and discouraging.

I am writing my story for a couple reasons.  One reason is for me.  I feel like this is an important step in my recovery process.  I have been going through the grieving process since finding out that I was injured by the Gardasil vaccine…denial, anger, bargaining, and depression.  I’m hoping that by writing my story, I will be able to move on to acceptance and begin to heal from what I have lost, which is my health and the person I used to be.
Secondly, I am writing my story in hopes of helping other girls, and boys, not have to go through the horrible experiences that I have had to endure, along with thousands of other innocent girls.  Is everyone going to have the same outcome from Gardasil as I have?  No, thankfully.  Some will and have tolerated it fine, while others are far worse than me, or not alive to share their stories.

I am here to urge you to educate yourself before you choose to vaccinate, something I wish I had done because if I had researched, my outcome would have been very different.
   

Gardasil: Nothing But Anguish For My Daughter

NOVEMBER 20, 2013 BY Lisa Haislip, Rockvale Tennessee 


Gardasil has impacted our lives in ways we never could have imagined. 

Paralyzed is the one word that describes how I have felt for the past two years as my daughter, Jennifer, has been very sick.  It began with severe abdominal and pelvic pain and eventually wound up with neurological issues, including seizures and complex migraines that mimic a stroke.  My poor daughter has been to the emergency room on several occasions, been admitted to the hospital for testing and observation, and had multiple appointments with 15-20 specialists in two years with an insurmountable amount of testing, only to find no answers.

Jennifer has been her own health advocate, as we couldn’t find a physician willing to review her history to determine the cause of her issues.  All of the physicians wanted to just treat the symptoms.  My poor girl has spent many hours researching her symptoms, presenting them to physicians, and requesting that certain tests be performed, while I was paralyzed.  Her strength to do all of this alone amazes me.

Physician after physician told us she was fine.  Jennifer was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome, complex migraines with aura, Vitamin D deficiency, dehydration, gastro paresis, pelvic floor dysfunction, and gluten and dairy allergy/intolerance.

Many times she was just “brushed off” as having panic attacks, depression, or anxiety.   But, why?  Both Jennifer and I knew that something caused this normally very healthy young lady to become ill with very random symptoms.  She was always very active – a cheerleader all through high school!  She enjoyed working out!  Now she couldn’t make her child a meal or do laundry without extreme fatigue.

Jennifer has missed Christmases, birthdays, weddings, vacations, and other important events.  Even when she attended events, she wasn’t really there.  The lights, sounds, smells, and temperature are never quite right for her fragile body.  Weather changes really mess with her health.

Dustin, Jennifer’s husband, planned a wonderful trip to Disney World in September of 2012.  In order for Jennifer to watch her daughter enjoy the attractions, she had to be pushed in a wheelchair.  This once vibrant young lady was too fatigued and weak to walk around Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom, and Sea World.  Paralyzed.

On August 26, 2013, I came across a Facebook post that said “Beware of Gardasil!”  I thought to myself, “Oh my God, could it be?  My Jennifer had all three injections.  Did this vaccination make my baby sick?”

I immediately researched the side effects of Gardasil.  The first site I reviewed was MERCK’s website.  I will never forget it.  It said the serious and non-serious side effects were headache, nausea, dizziness, unusual tiredness, weakness, or confusion, seizure, generally feeling unwell, bad stomach ache, etc.  Oh my God, I think this vaccination made my daughter ill.

Despite her ailments, my daughter was a very good historian and documented her health issues in a timeline.  Her timeline did not include the dates of the Gardasil injections, because we had no idea that these had made her sick.

I was appalled when I added the dates of the Gardasil injections to her timeline.  It was so clear at that minute.  I was 100% certain that Gardasil made my daughter ill.  Now, what?

I have felt even more paralyzed since we determined the cause of Jennifer’s debilitating health issues.  Thankfully, God has blessed us with knowledgeable people that are helping to guide us in a treatment plan for Jennifer.  Hopefully one day soon I will be able to overcome this feeling of paralysis.


Tuesday, November 19, 2013

GARDASIL/CERVARIX ANNOUNCEMENT and Why VAERS Is A Passive Reporting System That The FDA Loves To Quote




GARDASIL/CERVARIX ANNOUNCEMENT and Why VAERS Is A Passive Reporting System That The FDA Loves To Quote


( Big Note: This is to let you know that Rosemary Mathis, her daughter Lauren Mathis, Emily Tarsell and Norma Erickson are travelling to New York to be interviewed today, Friday 15th November 2013, on the Katie Couric Show (show is being recorded). Details of when the show will be aired are not yet known but as soon as we have this information, we will let you all know so that you can watch the programme.   

The girls will be representing all the victims who have been injured by the HPV vaccines – Gardasil and Cervarix.

This is the breakthrough we have all been hoping for to get your voices out there.  We have also been advised that Dr Diane Harper will be on the show.

Let us pray that this is just the beginning.

With best wishes
  
Freda Birrell, Secretary
SaneVax Inc



I have been researching a specific vaccine since February of 2007 and I have learned so much about how the FDA, CDC and the other organizations like the ACIP like to skew the data for their own purposes. It has gotten to the point that you can no longer trust or believe in what they say. They have gotten to the point where they will intentionally underreport the adverse events of any drug or vaccine to suit the purpose of God knows who. Here are the facts in their own words. At the end I will show you the impact this underreporting has on our youth with the HPV vaccine. I will underscore the parts I feel are important for you to remember.

"Aside from adverse events associated with specified vaccines (listed in the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act), most reporting by health providers is voluntary." (1)

"Although the FDA receives many adverse event reports, these probably represent only a fraction of the serious adverse events encountered by providers. A recent review article found that between 2% and 11% of hospital admissions could be attributed to adverse drug reactions. Only about 1% of serious events are reported to the FDA, according to one study." (1)

"There are probably several reasons why some serious events are not reported to either the FDA or the manufacturer. First, when confronted with an unexpected outcome of treatment, physicians may not consider drug-induced or device-induced disease, but rather consider the event to be related to the course of the disease." (1)

"Unfortunately, this may be due to the limited training medical students receive in clinical pharmacology and therapeutics. A 1985 survey of US medical schools found that only 14% of them had required courses in core skills and principles of therapeutic decision making and clinical pharmacology. Of the remainder, 87% taught only a few hours of clinical pharmacology, and most of the teaching occurred in the early years of medical training." (1)

"Another factor inhibiting physician reporting is that it is not an ingrained practice – it is not in the culture of US medicine to notify the FDA about adverse events or product problems." (1)

"On the other hand, the FDA does not want providers to report every adverse reaction observed; this would not be practical for the practitioner or useful to the FDA. The FDA's goal is to increase reporting of serious events, not all adverse events.

What should be reported are those cases in which the physician suspects that an FDA – regulated product was associated with a serious outcome – death, a life-threatening condition, initial or prolonged hospitalization, disability, or congenital anomaly, or when intervention was required to prevent permanent impairment or damage." (1)

Accuracy Of Reports

"VAERS is a passive surveillance system, and the large number of reports to VAERS increases the likelihood that some reports may not be adequately checked for accuracy, especially the less serious ones. Some reports to VAERS do not include full medical record documentation and may contain errors. The VAERS forms often have missing or incorrect data, including age, sex, vaccines administered, and adverse events." (2)

Underreporting

"Since VAERS is a passive system, it is inherently subject to underreporting. For example, a confidential study conducted by Connaught Laboratories, a vaccine manufacturer, indication that "a fifty-fold underreporting of adverse events" is likely. According to David Kessler, former commissioner of the FDA,"only about one percent of serious events [adverse drug reactions] are reported." Less serious vaccine adverse events (e.g., swelling, fever, or redness at the vaccination site) are more underreported than more serious vaccine adverse events (e.g., hospitalizations and death). The current analysis made no attempt to quantify underreporting due to age, type of adverse event, or other factor since only relative trends were utilized." (2)

"Approximately 85% of the variation in mean hospitalization rates for children aged 0.1–0.5 years was accounted for on the basis of the number of vaccine doses. If the quantity and severity of adverse vaccine events is, in fact, related to the accumulated total number of vaccine doses, then methodology that includes the complete age-specific vaccination history of the patient might enhance the analysis. Furthermore, while vaccines may appear to be the causal factor leading to adverse vaccine events, other underlying patient medical conditions, including latent mitochondrial disease or vitamin deficiencies, may ultimately play a role. Some reports have postulated that environmental factors, including vaccine administration, can trigger an adverse reaction due to its various components or agents that depleted body resources and/or cause immune insults." (2)

"Studies have not been conducted to determine the safety (or efficacy) of administering multiple vaccine doses in a variety of combinations as recommended by CDC guidelines. Our findings show a positive correlation between the number of vaccine doses administered and the percentage of hospitalizations and deaths reported to VAERS. 

In addition, younger infants were significantly more likely than older infants to be hospitalized or die after receiving vaccines. Since vaccines are administered to millions of infants every year, it is imperative that health authorities have scientific data from synergistic toxicity studies on all combinations of vaccines that infants are likely to receive; universal vaccine recommendation must be supported by such studies." (2)

What does all this mean to you?


Simply stated is that the VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System) is a passive system and the physicians are not even trained properly or at any intensity as to the importance of sending a report of you or a loved one's adverse event to a drug or vaccine. It is not promoted to become an integral part of their practice. This is something that I believe any conscientious physician would want for their patients that rely on their knowledge with regards to the effectiveness of the medications and vaccines that they administer. I feel that because of this lack of training and promotion we have the reporting rate of only 1% of the physicians reporting into a system that would be instrumental in the safety of all vaccine functionality.

The next interesting item that I found was that the FDA which is the agency that we trust to want the most accurate information possible to protect the safety of our loved ones does not even want all the adverse events to be reported. Now, I understand that some are mild like a slight fever, flulike symptoms that go away in a short period of time but what about all the other adverse events. They only want incidents "associated with a serious outcome – death, a life-threatening condition, initial or prolonged hospitalization, disability, or congenital anomaly, or when intervention was required to prevent permanent impairment or damage." (1) When researching the different adverse events reported to the VAERS database it seems like the list goes on forever. When you read all the different events reported you would think that over half would be considered serious but as you can see they are not worth the time of the FDA.

What I believe has been promoted by the FDA is a system that is grossly inadequate to ascertain the safety of any drug, vaccine or medical device. This has led to so many products that have been touted to be safe left on the market where I feel in reality are highly dangerous.

This is how this applies to the HPV vaccines. I am going to reference the information about the Gardasil vaccine as the prime example of this underreporting and how it is used to promote the vaccine.
In their documents they will use the present numbers as to how many individuals reported an adverse event to the VAERS data base. Presently, as of October 13, 2013, there have been 32,179 reports. They will insinuate this number as fact per the whole population of vaccines distributed. What they do not bring up is that this could only be 1% as they attest to as the amount that really reports. 

So what this gives us if you multiply this by 100% is in realty 3,217,900 has suffered an adverse event from the vaccine. This could also be on the low end because from my conversations with hundreds of parents and individuals over the years I can safely say that I believe that this is only the tip of the iceberg.

They will also downplay the deaths that have been reported. Presently there have been 148 young people who have died with relation to this vaccine. 

If you use what they stated of 1% you really have 14,800 have died.

 The only problem that I see in this is that all the parents that I have spoken with have told me that the autopsy reports were inconclusive as to a cause so I believe that this number has the real possibility to be double if not triple the amount I have stated above. 

This in itself should be cause to remove this vaccine from distribution. I cringe and wonder and pray that when I read a news report of some young person suddenly dying for some unknown reason did not receive the HPV vaccine.

Another way they will skew the real numbers is what they did for the reports to the FDA. You will hear often that the percentage of adverse events reported for the vaccine compared to the placebo was comparable. In the report to the FDA on September 11th, 2008 this is what the reporter wrote. "Reviewer's Comment: The proportions of subjects in each System Organ Class were comparable. The most common conditions reported were pharyngitis, upper respiratory infections, and influenza. There was a higher proportion of subjects with abdominal pain in the Gardasil group (5.0%) as compared to the saline placebo group (2.7%)." (3)

The reality of this statement with relation to table 79, New Medical Conditions After Day 1..., it is referencing is this. 

Out of 11,778 participants that received the Gardasil vaccination 8,628 (73.3%) reported a new medical history during the study. In the placebo group out of 9,686 participants 7,390 (76.3%) reported a new medical history during the study. So what the FDA says to you is that there was only a 3.0% difference between the vaccine group and the placebo group. If you look at this that is a small margin but if you look at the real numbers reported which is the 73.3% that is huge. Can you imagine that 3 out of 4 young people receiving this vaccine are expected to have a new medical condition when the real numbers are known and this is acceptable to the FDA, CDC and all the other organizations that use this data?

It is because of what these organizations tell us that I can safely say that the HPV vaccine has the potential to be the worse vaccine ever created because by their own admission they promote the under reporting of adverse events, do not encourage doctors to report and omit vital statistics when promoting the safety of this vaccine to the public. How can this make you feel confident in the practices of the FDA? From what I have learned over the years I have a '0%' confidence level in regards to anything that they do.

Here is another tasty tidbit. "Postlicensure safety data from the Vaccine Safety Datalink study, including data from >600,000 HPV4 doses administered, showed no statistically significant increased risk for the outcomes studied, including Guillain-Barré syndrome, stroke, venous thromboembolism, appendicitis, seizures, syncope, allergic reactions, and anaphylaxis (15). Postlicensure safety data from a manufacturer-sponsored study found no increased risk for outcomes such as anaphylaxis and venous thromboembolism; however, persons who were vaccinated with HPV4 were more likely to faint on the day they were vaccinated than another period in which vaccine was not administered (16)." (4)

Once again they are referencing the differences between the vaccine and the placebo. So in essence what they are stating is correct that there is "no statistically significant increased risk." The real numbers tell the truth and this is what they do not want you to know. They also do not tell you what the other outcomes they studied were. This is how they skew the numbers to say what they want and technically they are not lying.

The last item of interest is this. "Studies have not been conducted to determine the safety (or efficacy) of administering multiple vaccine doses in a variety of combinations as recommended by CDC guidelines." (2) This sentence needs absolutely no explanation. So when you go to your doctor for your next well baby visit and he tells you they need this, this and this vaccine that day, you can safely tell them that in doing so they are violating recommended CDC guidelines where multiple vaccine studies have not been conducted. Also, if your school has a vaccine clinic and they decide to administer multiple vaccines to the children at once you can tell them the same thing and reference the document this came from.

Now you know why so many children are suffering from various diseases and have Autism. The doctors are not trained and a study was not performed as to the safety of multiple vaccinations per recommended by the CDC guidelines.

Will you be one more or one less individual hurt by the underreporting of adverse events which is promoted by the FDA? Think about it. I plan on being one less and will educate myself since it is not an ingrained practice for our doctors to do so. This is very sad.

(1) Jama, June 2, 1993 – Vol 269, No. 21, page 2765 Introducing MEDWatch – Kessler

(2) Human and Experimental Toxicology, 31(10) 1012–1021, DOI: 10.1177/0960327112440111, Relative trends in hospitalizations and mortality among infants by the number of vaccine doses and age, based on the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), 1990–2010

(3) http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/janak/081204 Clinical Review of Biologics License Application Supplement for Human Papillomavirus Quadrivalent (Types 6, 11, 16, 18) Vaccine, Recombinant (Gardasil®) to extend indication for prevention of vaginal and vulvar cancers related to HPV types 16 and 18. Dated September 11, 2008,

(4) Centers for Disease Control – Recommendations on the Use of Quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus Vaccine in Males – Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), 2011, Weekly,
 December 23, 2011 / 60(50);1705-1708 © Cynthia A. Janak
For years we’ve been bombarded with multimillion dollar advertisements promoting the HPV vaccine known as Gardasil.  Commercial after commercial, whole page magazine ads and posters at subway stations sent more fear than facts to the public about the human papilloma virus (HPV) and its role in cervical cancer.  

Even though I do not care for this particular vaccine, I make an effort to stay updated whenever news comes out about it.  I do this because my oldest falls into the age category for which the vaccine is recommended.  The vaccine, originally designed and heavily pushed on the teenage population, can be administered as early as 9-years old.  After a rather hasty vaccine “safety” study period, the 3-series Gardasil vaccine became available in 2006.  Cervarix, also marketed as a cervical cancer prevention vaccine, debuted in 2009 is an alternate to Gardasil.

Like every vaccine that came before these two, reactions post-vaccination were documented and reported in the VAERS database (Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System).  Currently, almost 32,000 adverse reactions have been reported as well as 144 deaths.  Despite growing concerns about Gardasil and Cerivax, and about the increasingly serious and fatal reactions young girls have had from them, it was suggested in 2011 that boys as young as 11-years old also receive the 3-shot series.

During the campaign to sell, sell, sell this product, we were told that the HPV vaccine would be an answer—an answer to help prevent cervical cancer.  We were told those who got the vaccine would be One Less:  One Less to chance it.  One Less to catch the disease.  One Less cancer victim.  We were also told that 3 doses were recommended for the series to be effective.  Reports are now saying 3 vaccines may be two too many though.

Good news for less jabs, right?

What, then, should we tell the girls, and now possibly the boys, who got sick from their 2nd dose of the vaccine?  Who tells them, “Oops, sorry.”


What do we tell the families of those who died after continuing the series with their 2nd or 3rd doses?  Does anyone say, “Well, were wrong.  We should have said two less; two less vaccines, that is.”  

I highly doubt that anyone will utter that kind of apology.  Those promoting and inflicting the most damage, including death, will likely get to walk away.  They do not have to handle the irreparable harm done.  They will not witness adverse reactions that lead to future health problems.  They are not left with a lesson to be learned either, unless that lesson is to publicly continue to herald their own efforts while hiding behind the protection they’ve been granted by the government.

What irks me when I read articles like the one suggesting that only one HPV vaccine is needed, besides the fact that that this vaccine was made out to be the vaccine that would save the most lives, is that our nation’s children have once again become pin-cushioned guinea pigs.  With all safety cast aside, our children have become part of an experiment and not a solution.

If ever there was a reason for someone to learn how to educate themselves before choosing to vaccinate, this ‘whoops, two less vaccines’ discovery is more than reason enough.  Being fully informed before opting for any unavoidably unsafe product like a vaccine is better than finding out too little too late.  Fortunately, being informed is something anyone, including my pre-teen daughter, and the girls she is talking to, can do.

First, start learning the facts, all of the facts.  Learn as much as you can about vaccines and particularly the ones you’re opting for.  Look at the track record of each.  Listen to what your doctor or provider has to say about them, and then, research what they’ve shared.  Research what they didn’t share also.

Read more than just the Vaccine Information Sheet  the medical staff is required by law to give you, too.  Instead, request, read and study (or download) the 30 pages of each vaccine insertGardasil  and Cervarix.

Look up what’s being reported in the news about the growing list of negative side effects making sure the news comes from a reputable source.  Read as much as you can, and continue to read some more.

Know that this vaccine proposes to protect only 4 out of the 40 known strains of cervical cancer. 

Realize, too, that this vaccine hasn’t been around all that long.  Long-term studies don’t happen overnight; they take years to be conducted and only after gathering hundreds of pieces of data—data gotten from those who received the vaccine, including from the ones who escaped vaccine injury to the ones who succumbed from it.  Remember that while some side effects from vaccines can be seen immediately (fainting, nausea, dizzy spells and seizures), others take time to be discovered and subsequently reported.  Understand that through the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Fund, the US government has awarded $6 billion toward 49 cases of HPV vaccine injury and death.  (Keep in mind that while 49 may not sound like a lot, over 200 claims have been filed and that all of them have yet to be processed.)  And finally, remember that you have a choice; a choice to say yes, no, or not right now until you know as much as you need to know.  Vaccine choice is a benefit, but being fully informed about a vaccine can have a much more lasting effect.

I’ve come to realize that the best way to be avoid vaccine injury or death resulting from vaccines is to abstain from vaccinations.  My daughter, and now her middle school friends are well aware of this too.  My daughter will continue to use her recess time to talk about vaccines, particularly the HPV vaccine.  She does this not because she’ll be getting it, but because she personally knows girls who have received it, and she is genuinely concerned about their future health.  I don’t blame her for wanting to stay as informed as I do or for attempting to educate others.  With how things have gone for so many HPV vaccine recipients, one more conversation on the playground could very well lead to one less tragedy.

Cathy Jameson is a Contributing Editor for Age of Autism.