One Less

August 19, 2009

Before Back to School Checkups: CBS and ABC Report Call Merck's Gardasil Vaccine Safety into Question

Managing Editor's note: That Jeep belongs to a Mom in NY State whose daughter died following her Gardasil shots. The Merck tagline is, "One Less."  Indeed.

By Anne Dachel
 
An article in the Journal of the American Medical Assoc. on the side effects of the HPV vaccine, Gardasil, was published today and it received immediate coverage on both CBS and ABC News.
  
CBS News: Is the HPV Vaccine Safe? 
In the CBS report, we were told about side effects resulting in hospitalizations, permanent disabilities, blood clots, and even death.  Dr. Barbara Slade from the CDC wasn't really concerned and said that despite these reports, "it really isn't increased over what we've seen in other vaccines for that age group and what is seen generally in people of that age group."
 
Choosing her words carefully, Slade added that "the reporting on blood clots was concerning to CDC. Concerning in the way that it needs further investigation."
 

CBS noted that critics question the manufacturer's aggressive marketing with TV ads that downplayed side effectsand they pointed out the fact that Merck paid medical societies to promote the vaccine.  CBS doctor Jon LaPook sidestepped the issue by advising that routine pap smears are also a way to prevent cervical cancer.  
 
Merck announced that after reviewing the adverse events, they "continue to be confident in the safety of the vaccine."  And the CDC and the FDA will continue to recommend its use.  It looks like doctors are left in a very difficult position.  Officials continue to back a vaccine that has recognized severe and possibly fatal side effects.
  
ABC NEWS: CDC Report Stirs Controversy For Merck's Gardasil Vaccine 
 ABC talked about the same problems CBS did.  The included doctors who are reluctant to advise patient to receive this vaccine and ABC did mention that medical associations have been "too quick" to back the vaccine.  See yesterday's LNH blog for the opinion of ABC's Dr. Timothy Johnson. Part of his commentary reads:

"For the first time in my career, I cannot recommend a vaccine for its intended population -- in this case, young girls For the first time in my career, I cannot recommend a vaccine for its intended population -- in this case, young girls."
 
Actually, Johnson has been leery of this vaccine for a while and a search revealed his fears being published by ABC News last August.  
 
On their website, ABC features the story of Christina Tarsell, 21, who died 18 days after receiving her third Gardasil injection.  The cause of her death was listed as "undetermined," but her mother believes it was the result of the HPV vaccine.  
 
It's hard to understand how ABC can recognize that the HPV vaccine has damaging side effects, yet they adamantly back the CDC claim that vaccines are not linked to autism.

It's hard to understand how ABC can recognize that the HPV vaccine has damaging side effects, yet they adamantly back the CDC claim that vaccines are not linked to autism.
 
Finally, it should be pointed out that the incidence of Gardasil damage is grossly under-reported. The following is from a post on cbsnews.com:

http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/NVICGardasilvsMenactraVAERSReportFeb2009.pdf

An Analysis by the National Vaccine Information Center of Gardasil & Menactra Adverse Event Reports to theVaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) February 2009
 
"It is estimated that only between 1 and 10 percent of all adverse health outcomes which occur following vaccination are reported to VAERS."

Anne Dachel is Media Editor for Age of Autism. 

Source: http://www.ageofautism.com/2009/08/before-back-to-school-checkups-cbs-and-abc-report-call-mercks-gardasil-vaccine-safety-into-question.html