This week I give you a Bluffer’s Guide on the HPV vaccine, which the Quebec government announced this week will be given to girls age 9 to 26.
Some resources with more information:
My take: There are some legitimate concerns about safety (no long-term studies, wasn’t tested thoroughly on young girls), but until we find evidence of some harm this could cause (which I find unlikely), I agree with the immunization plan.
That’s not to say that Merck, which sells Gardasil at a rate that makes it the most expensive vaccine ever, isn’t pushing this hard with a lot of self-interest and stands to make billions. But that’s capitalism.
Fagstein, forget something again?
I was busy yesterday Ma! I’ll call you today.
(This comment by email):
Nice article today about the controversy over Gardasil. One small
thing – your open ended question is extremely leading. There is an
epidemic of HIV and AIDS, there is not an epidemic of Cervical Cancer.
Is it not possible that as cervical cancer rates are dropping
significantly, that the $300 million being spent on Gardasil might be
better used funding HIV/AIDS research?
Then there are a couple of things you didn’t mention; as the rates are
dropping significantly, by the time the 9 year old girls receiving the
vaccine are of an age where they might get cervical cancer there will
likely be only 100 deaths/year from it had no one been forced to take
Gardasil.
Second, while the “double-blind clinical trials” might have proved
extremely effective, fewer than 100 9 year old girls and less than
1,200 girls between the ages of 9 and 15 were involved in the study.
Everyone was only followed for 18 months, so there is no way of
knowing if there will be a need for a booster shot, or if the vaccine
will still be effective over the long term.