Gardasil: real protection or greed-driven conspiracy?

Question

I personally thing that big pharmaceutical companies are profiting off of fear of cancer and the American publics willingness to believe anything on TV. Why are they pushing this vaccine to be mandatory everywhere? could it be that they are making big bucks off of 3 shots, each costing aprox. $150?? the FDA may have approved it, but it has only been tested for apox. 4 years.... could this vaccine actual cause cancer itself? no one knows and yet we are giving it to 9yo girls... IF the fed gov't makes it mandatory everywhere than the pharm. co. no longer has ANY responsibility for health problems caused by the drug in the future... perhaps this is why they have such an excessive marketing campaign? they don't even know how long this drug is effective...it may only last for 4 years... and it only protects against HPV (and only 4 strands of out of hundreds)... you can still get cervical cancer many other ways...

anyways what do you think? yes or no to gardasil

http://evilslutopia.blogspot.com/2007/01/gardasil.

good info...make your own choices in life!

Answer 1

I agree with you somewhat.

I do believe that a lot big drug companies push for the release of certain drugs before we really see the benefits or side effects of the drug. They want to get the drug out before someone else thinks of something similar. An example is Viagra. Sure, it helps a lot of men with ED, but now they are finding that it's causing blindness. Pfizer pushed the release of it because there was nothing like it on the market and now we are seeing the side effects from it. But, then again, EVERY drug out there has side effects (some worse than others of course).

In my honest opinion I think the vaccine is great! However, I'm a little concerned about the long term side effects. I'm planning on getting the vaccine myself (even though I know it won't cure my HPV), but I'd like to see how some people react to it long term.

I personally contracted HPV right after I turned 17. I developed cervical cancer and genital warts from it. I wouldn't wish cervical cancer on ANYONE! It was one of the most painful and emotional times of my life. My parents were absolutely devastated, seeing how I am their only girl. And, now that there is a vaccine to prevent it, then why not get it? It can prevent developing cervical cancer and possibly dying from it! Not to mention, it can prevent genital warts too.

And, you are right about how it only protects against 4 different kinds of HPV; however, those 4 kinds of HPV are responsible for about 70% of cervical cancer cases and 90% of genital wart cases. That is HUGE! HPV is responsible for about 99% of cervical cancer cases though. So, you could get it others ways but it is VERY unlikely.

I say yes to Gardasil.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Cases_of_HPV_cancers_graph.png

Answer 2

Anything that reduces or eliminates cancer is a good thing however I do think that the pharmaceutical companies are going to exploit this for their own monetary benefit.
HPV is very common, most sexually active people have been exposed to either low risk or high risk. Yet, the fact is that it is only a small percentage of these woman that will get cancer from HPV.

I don't think that the vaccine should be mandatory. I would definitely have my daughter get this vaccine but I wouldn't want the state to say that it is required.

Answer 3

Merck (the US manufacturer) was way out of line pushing to have the vaccine made mandatory in Texas and Virginia. I hope they've learned their lesson.

Having said that, the vaccine has the potential to significantly reduce the rate of cervical cancer, even if it can't prevent every type. And it's only effective BEFORE people get the particular HPV strains, hence the need to vaccinate girls before they're sexually active.

There's been enough testing to say the vaccine is safe. There's no reason to think it could cause cancer, and I can't think of a possible way it could. You can never say 100 per cent in medicine, but the benefits far outweigh the risks, so I say "yes".

Answer 4

I think that it is good as far as prevention goes. However, I talked to my dr about it and they find that the risk of HPV slowly increases and peaks at the age 30 then starts to decrease rapidly. Would I get my daughter vacinated? Not until she is older, she is 9 now and I will wait until she is or is considering having sex with someone. I hope that wouldn't be for a long time tho. Women have to remember just because they get the shot doesn't mean that they don't have to go in for there yearly pap tests. This is still the most effective way to find if there are any problems with your cervix. When you go for your exam they also check to make sure everything else is fine too. If we become to confident with getting this or other shots we may end up doing more damage by not getting our exams done. Be smart about your health and take control of it. Thats just my opinion on the whole thing.

Answer 5

I feel the same as you, I find the ad to be so lacking in solid evidence. If you listen closely to the ad, it states "may help protect", "if you this", it's not clear at all and I feel very misleading. I couldn't imagine the govt making this mandatory, it's simply insane. I don't know how many women are running to their gynos for this, I would hope women would take their health into consideration when jumping and believing this type of hype. And the target age for vaccinations, come on, this is bs. As you also state, it only protects against HPV, and only a mere fraction of the various kinds! Save your money ladies, and your child's health. Don't believe the hype.

Answer 6

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Answer 7

Although I do agree with many of the points made by snout and alli, I dont know if I can fully back this vaccine yet and definitely not mandantory vaccination. (GSK has one as well called Cervarix not yet approved in the US as far as I know)

Heres my write up to 2 similar questions--

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AvOwPSPLB5eDHn.5bw7NG_Lty6IX?qid=20070416211700AAJ9Oeh&show=7#profile-info-Ws3wk6VWaa

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AiWSCg3_RHVqfHA.3w53Hk7ty6IX?qid=20070419130210AAMdszP&show=7#profile-info-T6e2A19Taa