The Gardasil vaccine is targeted to females ages 9-26 in hopes of preventing cervical cancer.
Here are some facts you need to know about HPV:
- When detected in the early stages, the HPV virus is easily treated and will rarely proceed to cervical cancer.
- Not all women with HPV develop cervical cancer.
- HPV is just one of several potential causes of cervical cancer.
- At least 50% of sexually active men and women acquire genital HPV infection at some point in their lives -- and 90% of the time the virus clears up on its own within two years, and does not lead to cancer.
Facts about Cervical Cancer
- Cervical cancer accounts for less than 1% of all cancer deaths.
- Just over 11,000 new cases were diagnosed in 2009 (American Cancer Society)
- About 4,000 women died of cervical cancer in 2009 (American Cancer Society)
- Perspective: Cervical cancer killed 12 times fewer people in 2009 than did hospital-acquired infections.
- In the rare instances where it does occur, cervical cancer usually takes five to ten years to develop.
- Prior to cancer, HPV causes the growth of abnormal cells in the cervix, which can be detected by a Pap smear. Upon detection, abnormal cells can be removed by minor surgery.
- Smoking is an important risk factor for developing cervical cancer. Smokers are at least twice as likely as non-smokers to develop cervix tumors.
- HRT increases the risk of cervical cancer.
- Birth control pills increase the risk of cervical cancer.
- Estrogen dominance can increase the risk of cervical cancer
- Cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates continue to decline because of decreased rates of smokers and HRT users.
Facts about Gardasil
- Merck claims it prevents the cervix from being affected by HPV.
- It does not protect against all forms of HPV.
- Duration of "protection" after vaccination is estimated to be about 4 years.
- There are no long term studies determining safety or effectiveness.
- Gardasil contains 225 mcg of aluminum
- One in every 1,855 Gardasil shots is followed by a bad health outcome report to the government's Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System.
- As of March 2010, there were more than 17,600 reports of adverse reactions regarding the Gardasil vaccine in the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System.
- Among them are 59 deaths, 18 of which were among young girls under the age of 17.
- It is estimated that less than 10% of all vaccine reactions are reported.
- Merck is currently fighting more than 11,500 lawsuits related to another of their drugs, Vioxx, which is also plagued by controversy surrounding false data on its safety.
- Merck only studied the Gardasil vaccine in less than 1,200 girls under the age of 16 prior to it being released to the market under the fast-tracked road to licensure.
- Because the vaccine does not protect against all types of HPV, it will not prevent all cases of cervical cancer or genital warts.
Please feel free to contact us for more information about the Gardasil vaccination and to schedule an appointment to come in and see us at our chiropractic office in the Springfield, IL-Chatham, IL area.