Vaccines have been hailed as one of the greatest medical achievements of the past century. Just in the past 12 years alone, several new vaccines—rotavirus, meningococcal, herpes zoster and pneumococcal—have been introduced, bringing the number of preventable diseases for which the U.S. recommends vaccination to a whopping 17.
By some estimates, routine vaccinations prevent 42,000 deaths and 20 million cases of disease—and save nearly $14 billion in health care costs.1
The safety and effectiveness of vaccines, as well as the recommended vaccination schedule, have been hotly debated over the years. But no vaccine has caused quite as much controversy as the series of shots given to protect against human papilloma virus (HPV).
Understanding HPV
There are more than 100 types of HPV, about 40 of which are sexually transmitted. Genital HPV infection is extremely common, affecting about 20 million Americans ages 15-49.
At least 50 percent of sexually active men and women have HPV at some point in their lives. In the majority of these people (up to 90 percent), the infection remains symptomless and clears on its own within two years. However, persistent and unmanaged HPV infections can cause a variety of health problems, ranging from genital warts to cancers of the cervix and, much less commonly, vulva, vagina, penis, anus and throat.
Researchers developed the HPV vaccine—Gardasil®—to protect against the four strains of the virus (6, 11, 16 and 18) that cause up to 75 percent of cervical cancers, 90 percent of genital wart cases, 70 percent of vaginal cancers and 50 percent of vulvar cancers.
Gardasil is marketed as highly safe, with only minor side effects that include soreness and other irritation at the injection site, headache, fever, nausea, dizziness and fainting. On the surface, a vaccine with a good safety profile that can prevent the development of several types of cancer sounds fantastic.
Unfortunately, as with most matters in conventional medicine, you have to dig beneath the surface to find out the real truth—and with the HPV vaccine, the possible risks are far greater than Big Pharma would have you believe…especially since the drug is marketed primarily to teenage girls.
Concerning Side Effects
More and more parents are starting to take note of the potential side effects associated with Gardasil. According to a study published earlier this year, parents listed safety concerns/side effects as one of their primary concerns for refusing the HPV vaccine for their daughters, and that number increased from 4.5 percent in 2008, to 7.7 percent in 2009, to 16.4 percent in 2010. And the intent to not vaccinate for HPV increased from 39.8 percent in 2008 to 43.9 percent in 2010.2
Why such a backlash? Because this vaccine has little long-term data to really prove that it’s as safe as its maker—pharmaceutical giant Merck—claims. In fact, Gardasil was studied for less than three years in only about 26,000 children under the age of 16 before being released in 2006. And now, seven years later, research is starting to uncover some of the more serious downfalls associated with Gardasil. 3
According to the National Vaccine Information Center, which compared the number of adverse reactions between Gardasil and Menactra (a meningococcal vaccine), “death and serious health problems such as stroke, blood clots, cardiac arrest, seizures, fainting, lupus and rechallenge cases are reported three to 30 times more frequently after Gardasil vaccination than after meningococcal (Menactra) vaccination.”3
The Tip of the Iceberg
As if those reactions aren’t bad enough, one study found that five patients came down with “multifocal or atypical demyelinating syndromes” (in other words, multiple sclerosis-like symptoms) within 21 days of getting their Gardasil shot.4
Another study published in July looked at the medical history of three young women who developed secondary amenorrhea (i.e., their normal menstrual periods completely stopped) following their HPV vaccinations. In all three cases, sexual development, ultrasounds and genetic testing appeared normal. Additional evaluations revealed specific antibodies, which suggested that the vaccine triggered an autoimmune response. Sadly, doctors diagnosed these girls with primary ovarian failure.
The researchers wrote, “We documented here the evidence of the potential of the HPV vaccine to trigger a life-disabling autoimmune condition. The increasing number of similar reports of post HPV vaccine-linked autoimmunity and the uncertainty of long-term clinical benefits of HPV vaccination are a matter of public health that warrants further rigorous inquiry.”5
And yet another study published earlier this year linked HPV vaccinations with autoimmune manifestations similar to lupus.6
Guard Your Kids From Gardasil
With such a questionable safety record emerging, why put your kids in harm’s way, to “protect” against a virus that the body can usually clear on its own?
And for those who have chronic HPV, appropriate management of the virus can prevent it from causing problems in the long run. In addition, regular yearly (or more often, if medically advised) Pap tests can easily detect abnormal cervical changes so they can be promptly treated.
In contrast, the potential serious and long-term effects of Gardasil may not be nearly as treatable or manageable.
So what should you do about the HPV vaccine? The answer is clear. Steer clear.
References:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6019a5.htm.
- Darden PM, et al. Pediatrics. 2013 Apr;131(4):645-51.
- National Vaccine Information Center. www.nvic.org/NVIC-Vaccine-News/February-2009/Monday,-February-09,-2009-Gardasil-Death—Brain-D.aspx.
- Sutton I, et al. Mult Scler. 2009 Jan;15(1):116-9.
- Colafrancesco S, et al. Am J Reprod Immunol. 2013 Jul 31. [Epub ahead of print.]
- Gatto M, et al. Clin Rheumatol. 2013 April 28. [Epub ahead of print.]
