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GLENN'S STRATEGIES FOR WELL-BEING: Update on Cervical Cancer Vaccine
*In an effort to provide an updatre on the “vaccine for cervical cancer”, I want to share some recent information that could be useful for parents faced with the decision as to whether or not to allow their daughters to receive the vaccination. With all of the ads promting the Vaccine for Cervical Cancer, I think it is important to hear another “voice”.
Gardasil is being marketed as a means to protect against cervical cancer by vaccinating against HPV.
On June 8, 2006, the FDA licensed Gardasil, as the first vaccine developed to prevent cervical cancer caused by certain kinds of human papillomavirus (HPV). Since then, more than 12 million doses of Gardasil vaccine have been distributed. However, CDC also received 7,802 reports on side effects of Gardasil.
There are over 100 different types (strains) of HPV, and about 40 of these cause genital infections. Of those 40, about half can cause cancer, and some can cause genital warts. The four types of the virus that the vaccine prevents cause 90 percent of genital warts (types 6 and 11) and 70 percent of cervical cancer (types 16 and 18). So, even though the vaccine only targets a few strains of the virus, those few strains are responsible for causing most cases of cervical cancer and genital warts. Some mistakenly believe that the vaccine prevents 70 percent of HPV. This is not true. Others mistakenly believe that the vaccine is only 70 percent effective. This, also, is not true. The vaccine is extremely effective, but only as it relates to preventing those four types of the virus. While the vaccine may stop two cancer-causing strains of HPV, an article in The New England Journal of Medicine pointed out that blocking these strains of the virus may allow other cancerous HPV strains to fill the void. If this happens, the overall decrease in cervical cancer would be minimal.
It should be stressed that only a very small percentage of women who have HPV will develop cervical cancer; so simply having HPV doesn't mean that you will get sick. However, almost all cervical cancers have evidence of HPV virus in them, so infection is a major risk factor for developing it.
Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, released a report based on new documents obtained from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), detailing reports of adverse reactions to the vaccination for human papillomavirus (HPV). The adverse reactions include 10 deaths since September, 2007. The total number of death reports is at least 18 and as many as 20. The FDA also produced 140 “serious” reports, 27 of which were categorized as “life threatening”, 10 spontaneous abortions and six cases of Guillain-Barre Syndrome ( a condition in which the immune system attacks the neurological system) – all since January 2008.
According to a recent article in The Washington Post, Merck plans to lobby the FDA to approve the vaccination for young boys as well. (Right now, the vaccination is approved for girls/young women from ages 9 to 26. Just last week, the FDA rejected Merck's attempt to expand the use of the vaccination for women 27 and older. Merck plans to reapply.)
To add some perspective on this topic, the most common type of cancer on the list is nonmelanoma skin cancer, with more than 1,000,000 new cases expected in the United States in 2008. Nonmelanoma skin cancers represent about half of all cancers diagnosed in this country. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2008, 11,070 women will be diagnosed with cervical cancer in the U.S., and 4100 women will die of cervical cancer in 2002. This puts cervical cancer as the 12th most common cancer that women develop, and the 14th most common cause of cancer death for women in the U.S.
Cervical cancer is considered a preventable disease. It usually takes a very long time for pre-cancerous lesions to progress to invasive cancers and we have effective screening methods that can detect pre-cancerous lesions that can generally be cured without serious side effects. Effective screening programs in the United States have led to the drastic decline in the numbers of cervical cancer deaths in the last 50 years. For women who do end up with cervical cancer in developed nations, 60% of them either have never been screened or haven't been screened in the last five years. The importance of regular cervical cancer screening cannot be overstated.
Cervical cancer can be prevented with routine cervical cancer screening and follow-up of abnormal results. The Pap test can identify abnormal or pre-cancerous changes in the cervix so that they can be removed before cancer develops.
I want to be clear; I am not suggesting that parent not vaccinate their daughters. As always, I am a strong advocate of “Informed Consent”.
I do, however, agree with Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton, who sums it up perfectly, “Given all the questions about Gardasil, the best public health policy would be to reevaluate its safety... In the least, the government should rethink any efforts to mandate or allow the promotion of this vaccine for children.”
Remember, I’m not a doctor. I just sound like one.
Take good care of yourself and live the best life possible!
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended, nor implied, to be a substitute for professional medical advice.
Glenn Ellis, author of Which Doctor?, is a health columnist and radio commentator who lectures, and is an active media contributor nationally and internationally on health related topics
For more good health information, visit: www.glennellis.com
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