Health Alert!!!!

[+ Gar1eth]

I am familiar with--didn't actually know him but know a friend of his- a gay male who at one point was very sexually active who died within the 12 months of either recurrent anal or rectal cancer. He was first diagnosed in 2003 or 2004. I think at the time the doctors thought he had a good prognosis. He had surgery, and I'm not sure what other treatment, but the cancer returned.

 

When I first learned about his cancer in 2003/2004, it never occurred to me that it was a probable consequence of HPV exposure/infection from unprotected bottoming. But with the increasing news of how HPV causes most cases of cervical cancer, I did some looking up. The majority of anal cancer is thought to be due to HPV infection, and there is evidence that HPV is associated with some colorectal cancer.

 

The reason I bring this up is to have everyone talk to their health provider about the HPV vaccine. It decreases the risks of becoming infected by certain types of HPV. It's not protective against all forms. The efficacy if you have already been exposed to HPV is not well-known I dont think. The vaccine is a series of three injections. Technically it is only approved for male from the ages of 9 to 26. This doesn't mean you can't get it if you are older. It most likely wouldn't have any bad side effects if you didn't have any contraindications (like an allergy to yeast), but the protection may not last as long.

 

In addition to vaccination-it is possible to have anal 'pap' smears done to look for precancerouslesions. They aren't offered everywhere.

 

 

My hope is everyone is able to find a health provider who is knowledgeable about gay health--some family practitioners/internists may be--others may not. I urge everyone to find someone who specializes in gay health issues even if they are not your routine provider, you might only need to go to them occasionally like once a year.

 

One good website for disease information is CDC.gov. You can look up information on HPV infection there.

 

 

Gman

[Mark Gordon]

Thanks for bringing this up again, Gman. The vaccine is called Gardasil. The course of 3 injections costs about $500 in Canada. I was vaccinated last year and I think every sexually active gay man should consider it.

[+ honcho]

If you've already been infected with HPV (active warts on the outside, removed), is there any benefit to getting vaccinated?

[+ Gar1eth]

If you've already been infected with HPV (active warts on the outside, removed), is there any benefit to getting vaccinated?

 

You should talk this over with your doctor- but I read one place where the answer was yes as there are more than one strain in the vaccine, and it may protect against the other strains.

 

Oh and it might be that your doctor may not carry the vaccine routinely, in most states you can probably go to someplace like Walgreens and obtain the vaccine without a prescription with the pharmacist administering it. But I'd speak with my caregiver before going this route.

 

 

And especially if you've had inner warts, you need to check into having the anal Pap smear done.

Gman

[+ Funguy]

Thank you, Gman, for bringing this up again. I have mentioned this in some of my earlier posts and to me, at least, it is a no brainer. Do not worry about the age restriction up to age 26 - that is for 2 reasons:

 

1. That was the age group in which it was tested, and

2. It is felt that, by age 26, most sexually active people have been exposed and therefore too late for protection.

 

Number 2 is, of course, poor reasoning.

 

Also, as Gman points out, there are a number of strains of HPV, only some of which cause anal warts, cancer of the penis, rectum, throat, etc. There are 2 vaccines, one covers 2 strains, the other 4 strains (should check to verify).

 

If you are tested for HPV and the test shows you have been exposed to the virus, that is not specific enough to determine whether or not the vaccine would be useful to you - you need strain specificity and protection from the strains which are associated with bad stuff, not just general exposure. In my opinion, despite the cost, all sexually active adults (gay or not) should get the vaccine, whether or not they think they have been exposed.

 

Honcho's question is important because there are more than 1 strain which cause disease. He may have had 1 strain but the vaccine will help protect from the others as well.

 

As an aside - how many of you think a condom is going to protect you from this virus? Not so fast there! You have to put the condom on BEFORE there is ANY genital contact what-so-ever, not just prior to penetration - and that rarely happens!

 

As has been stated, please ask your MD regarding vaccination and if he or she vacillates, then try to find a physician who is hooked into the gay community.

[Steven_Draker]

HPV virus

 

Genital warts (or condylomata acuminata, venereal warts, anal warts and anogenital warts) are symptoms of a highly contagious sexually transmitted disease caused by some types of human papillomavirus (HPV). It is spread through direct skin-to-skin contact, usually during oral, genital, or anal sex with an infected partner. Warts are the most easily recognized symptom of genital HPV infection. Although some types of HPV are known to cause cervical cancer and anal cancers, these are not the same types of HPV that cause genital warts. Although 90% of those who contract HPV will not develop genital warts, those infected can still transmit the virus. Although estimates of incidence vary between studies, HPV is so common that nearly all sexually active people will get it at some point in their lives.

 

HPV types 6 and 11 are most frequently the cause of genital warts. The Gardasil vaccine includes coverage for these types. While types 6 and 11 are considered low risk for progression to cancers, it is also possible to be infected with different varieties of HPV, such as a low-risk HPV that causes warts and a high-risk HPV, either at the same or different times.

 

A condyloma acuminatum is a single genital wart, and condylomata acuminata are multiple genital warts. The word roots mean "pointed wart" (kondylos Greek κονδυλος, "knuckle" + -oma Greek ωμα, "disease" = kondyloma, "knuckle-like growth"; acuminatum Latin="pointed").

Signs and symptoms

 

 

Genital warts may occur singly but are more often found in clusters. They may be found anywhere in the anal or genital area, and are frequently found on external surfaces of the body, including the penile shaft, scrotum, labia majora of the vagina, or around the anus. They can also occur on internal surfaces like the opening to the urethra, inside the vagina, on the cervix, or in the anus. In males they are frequently found on or around the head of the penis.

 

They can be as small as 1-5mm in diameter, but can also grow or spread into large masses in the genital or anal area. In some cases they look like small stalks. They may be hard ("keratinized") or soft. Their color can be variable, and sometimes they may bleed.

 

In most cases, there are no symptoms of HPV infection other than the warts themselves. Sometimes warts may cause itching, redness, or discomfort, especially when they occur around the anus. Although they are usually without other physical symptoms, an outbreak of genital warts may cause psychological distress, such as anxiety, in some people.

 

Causes

 

Transmission

HPV is most commonly transmitted through penetrative sex. While HPV can also be transmitted via non-penetrative sexual activity, it is less transmissible than via penetrative sex. There is conflicting evidence about the effect of condoms on transmission of low-risk HPV. Some studies have suggested that they are effective at reducing transmission. Other studies suggest that condoms are not effective at preventing transmission of the low-risk HPV variants that cause genital warts. The effect of condoms on HPV transmission may also be gender-dependent; there is some evidence that condoms are more effective at preventing infection of males than of females.

 

The types of HPV that cause warts are highly transmissible. Roughly three out of four unaffected partners of patients with warts develop them within eight months. Other studies of partner concordance suggest that the presence of visible warts may be an indicator of increased infectivity; HPV concordance rates are higher in couples where one partner has visible warts.

 

Latency and recurrence

Although 90% of HPV infections are cleared by the body within two years of infection, it is possible for infected cells to undergo a latency (quiet) period, with the first occurrence or a recurrence of symptoms happening months or years later. Latent HPV, even with no outward symptoms, is still transmissible to a sexual partner. If an individual has unprotected sex with an infected partner, there is a 70% chance that he or she will also become infected.

 

In individuals with a history of previous HPV infection, the appearance of new warts may be either from a new exposure to HPV, or from a recurrence of the previous infection. As many as one-third of people with warts will experience a recurrence.

 

Diagnosis

 

Micrograph of a genital wart with the characteristic changes (parakeratosis, koilocytes, papillomatosis). H&E stain.

The diagnosis of genital warts is most often made visually, but may require confirmation by biopsy in some cases. Smaller warts may occasionally be confused with molluscum contagiosum. Genital warts, histopathologically, characteristically rise above the skin surface due to enlargement of the dermal papillae, have parakeratosis and the characteristic nuclear changes typical of HPV infections (nuclear enlargement with perinuclear clearing). DNA tests are available for diagnosis of high-risk HPV infections. Because genital warts are caused by low-risk HPV types, DNA tests cannot be used for diagnosis of genital warts or other low-risk HPV infections.

 

Some practitioners use an acetic acid solution to identify smaller warts ("subclinical lesions"), but this practice is controversial. Because a diagnosis made with acetic acid will not meaningfully affect the course of the disease, and cannot be verified by a more specific test, a 2007 UK guideline advises against its use.

 

Prevention

Gardasil (sold by Merck & Co.) is a vaccine that protects against human papillomavirus types 16, 18, 6, and 11. Types 6 and 11 cause genital warts, while 16 and 18 cause cervical cancer. The vaccine is preventive, not therapeutic, and must be given before exposure to the virus type to be effective, ideally before the beginning of sexual activity. The vaccine is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for use in both males and females as early as 9 years of age.

 

In the UK, Gardasil replaced Cervarix in September 2012 for reasons unrelated to safety. Cervarix had been used routinely in young females from its introduction in 2008, but was only effective against the high-risk HPV types 16 and 18, neither of which typically causes warts.

 

Management

There is no cure for HPV. Existing treatments are focused on the removal of visible warts, but these may also regress on their own without any therapy. There is no evidence to suggest that removing visible warts reduces transmission of the underlying HPV infection. As many as 80% of people with HPV will clear the infection within 18 months.

 

A healthcare practitioner may offer one of several ways to treat warts, depending on their number, sizes, locations, or other factors. All treatments can potentially cause depigmentation, itching, pain, or scarring.

 

Treatments can be classified as either physically ablative, or topical agents. Physically ablative therapies are considered more effective at initial wart removal, but like all therapies have significant recurrence rates.

 

Many therapies, including folk remedies, have been suggested for treating genital warts, some of which have little evidence to suggest they are effective or safe. Those listed here are ones mentioned in national or international practice guidelines as having some evidence basis for their use.

 

Physical ablation

Physically ablative methods are more likely to be effective on keratinized warts. They are also most appropriate for patients with fewer numbers of relatively smaller warts.

 

Simple excision, such as with scissors under local anesthesia, is highly effective.

Liquid nitrogen cryosurgery is usually performed in an office visit, at weekly intervals. It is effective, inexpensive, safe for pregnancy, and does not usually cause scarring.

Electrocauterization (sometimes called "loop electrical excision procedure" or LEEP) is procedure with a longer history of use, and is considered effective.

Laser ablation has less evidence to suggest its use. It may be less effective than other ablative methods. It is extremely expensive, and often used as a last resort.

Formal surgical procedures, performed by a specialist under general anesthesia, may be necessary for larger or more extensive warts, intra-anal warts, or warts in children. It carries a greater risk of scarring than other methods.

 

 

Epidemiology

Genital HPV infections have an estimated prevalence in the US of 10–20% and clinical manifestations in 1% of the sexually active adult population. US incidence of HPV infection has increased between 1975 and 2006. About 80% of those infected are between the ages of 17–33. Although treatments can remove the warts, they do not remove the HPV, so warts can recur after treatment (about 50–73% of the time). Warts can also spontaneously regress (with or without treatment).

 

Traditional theories postulated that the virus remained in the body for a lifetime. However, studies using sensitive DNA techniques have shown that through immunological response the virus can either be cleared or suppressed to levels below what polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests can measure. One study testing genital skin for subclinical HPV using PCR found a prevalence of 10%.

 

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anal_wart

[Steven_Draker]

I read one place where the answer was yes as there are more than one strain in the vaccine, and it may protect against the other strains.

 

"Gardasil is a prophylactic HPV vaccine, meaning that it is designed to prevent HPV infections. For maximum effect, it is recommended that girls receive the vaccine prior to becoming sexually active. However, women who were already infected with one or more of the four HPV types targeted by the vaccine (6, 11, 16, or 18) were protected from clinical disease caused by the remaining HPV types in the vaccine."

 

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gardasil#Medical_uses

[Steven_Draker]

HPV Virus in Men

 

Much of the information about HPV virus (human papillomavirus) centers on women, since having the virus increases their risk of getting cervical cancer. But HPV virus in men can cause health problems, too. So it's important for men to understand how to reduce the risks of HPV infection.

 

It can increase a man's risk of getting genital cancers, although these cancers are not common. HPV can also cause genital warts in men, just as in women.

 

More than half of men who are sexually active in the United States will have HPV at some time in their life. Often, a man will clear the virus on his own, with no health problems.

 

Risks of HPV Virus in Men

 

Some of the 30 or so types of HPV associated with genital cancers can lead to cancer of the anus or penis in men. Both of these cancer types are rare. In those with a healthy immune system, they are even rarer. About 1,530 men in the U.S. were diagnosed with cancer of the penis in 2006, according to American Cancer Society estimates. About 1,910 men got a diagnosis of anal cancer.

 

The risk of anal cancer is about 17 times higher in sexually active gay and bisexual men than in men who have sex only with women. Men who have HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) are also at higher risk of getting this cancer.

 

Other types of HPV virus rarely cause cancer in men, but they do cause genital warts. At a given point in time, about 1% of sexually active men in the U.S. will have genital warts.

 

 

Male HPV: The Symptoms

 

The types of high-risk HPV that can cause cancer rarely present any symptoms in men or in women. Genital warts are the first symptom you may see with low-risk HPV strains that cause warts but not cancer.

 

 

Tests for HPV Virus in Men

 

To diagnose genital warts in men, the doctor will visually check a man's genital area to see if warts are present. Some doctors will apply a vinegar solution to help identify warts that aren't raised and visible. But the test is not foolproof. Sometimes normal skin is mistakenly identified as a wart.

 

There is no routine test for men to check for high-risk HPV strains that can cause cancer. However, some doctors are urging anal Pap tests for gay and bisexual men, who are at higher risk of anal cancer caused by HPV. In an anal Pap test, the doctor collects cells from the anus, and then has them checked for abnormalities in a lab.

 

Treatments for HPV

 

There is no treatment for asymptomatic HPV infection. Instead, doctors treat the health problems that are caused by the HPV virus.

 

When genital warts appear, a variety of treatments can be used. The patient can apply prescription creams at home. Or a doctor can surgically remove or freeze off the warts.

 

Early treatment of warts is discouraged by some doctors because genital warts can go away on their own. It can also take time for all warts to appear. So a person who treats warts as soon as they appear may need another treatment later on.

 

Anal cancer can be treated with radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery. The specific treatments depend on the stage of cancer - how big the tumor is and how far the cancer has spread.

 

HPV Vaccine for Men?

 

The HPV vaccine Gardasil, approved for use in women in 2006, is not yet approved for men.

 

Studies are still being done to determine if the vaccine works in males. Eventually, public health experts say, boys and men may be vaccinated.

 

How to Manage HPV in a Relationship

 

If a man's long-term sexual partner has HPV, chances are good HPV transmission has already occurred and he also has it. HPV in men may clear from the body more easily than in women. Women, in general, often clear the virus in two years or less.

 

The HPV types associated with cervical cancer usually do not cause health problems for a heterosexual man having sex with an HPV-infected woman.

 

If a partner has HPV, it does not necessarily mean they have had sex with someone else recently. The virus can lay dormant in the body for years without causing noticeable symptoms.

 

How to Prevent Transmission of HPV

 

Abstinence is the only sure way to prevent HPV transmission. Risk of transmission can be lowered if a person has sex only with one person who is not infected and who is monogamous.

 

To lower the risk of HPV transmission, men can also limit the number of sex partners and pick partners who have had few or no partners in the past.

 

Condoms can provide some protection against HPV transmission. But they aren't 100% effective, since HPV is transmitted primarily by skin-to-skin contact. The virus can still infect the skin uncovered by the condom.

 

In a recent study of young women who had just become sexually active, those whose partners used a condom each time they had sex were 70% less likely to get an HPV infection than were women whose partners used a condom less than 5% of the time.

 

source: http://www.medicinenet.com/genital_warts_in_men_hpv_virus/article.htm

[Guest]

HPV Vaccine for Men?

 

The HPV vaccine Gardasil, approved for use in women in 2006, is not yet approved for men.

 

Studies are still being done to determine if the vaccine works in males. Eventually, public health experts say, boys and men may be vaccinated.

 

 

Well, your information may be a bit outdated, or maybe it's referenced for another country. This is the latest from the CDC (US).

http://www.cdc.gov/hpv/vaccine.html

 

HPV vaccines are given as a series of three shots over 6 months to protect against HPV infection and the health problems that HPV infection can cause. Two vaccines (Cervarix and Gardasil) protect against cervical cancers in women. One vaccine (Gardasil) also protects against genital warts and cancers of the anus, vagina and vulva. Both vaccines are available for females. Only Gardasil is available for males.

HPV vaccines offer the best protection to girls and boys who receive all three vaccine doses and have time to develop an immune response before being sexually active with another person. That's why HPV vaccination is recommended for preteen girls and boys at age 11 or 12 years.

HPV Vaccines for Boys and Girls

 

In addition to girls and boys aged 11 or 12 years, HPV vaccines are also recommended for teen boys and girls who did not get the vaccine when they were younger, teen girls and young women through age 26, as well as teen boys and young men through age 21.

The vaccine is also recommended for gay and bisexual men (or any man who has sex with a man). It is also recommended for men and women with compromised immune systems (including people living with HIV/AIDS) through age 26, if they did not get fully vaccinated when they were younger.

[Steven_Draker]

Well, your information may be a bit outdated ...

 

It was outdated, Unicorn. The article was written in 2007 and updated last in 2008.

Thank you for correcting it.

 

Another thing I stumbled upon while researching information was the controversy surrounding Gardasil. I remember from the news that there was (still is) a big issue with the vaccine.

 

 

 

Controversy condemning Gardasil may be warranted

 

Gardasil may be a vaccine familiar to many young adults in the United States as it came out while most were reaching puberty.

 

Kids who barely understood the process of sexual intercourse were subjected by their parents to receive a vaccine, regardless that many may not have understood its purpose.

 

Gardasil was developed in 2006 to prevent human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6, 11, 16 and 18 in both males and females. There are over 100 strands of this virus, but these four strands account for 70 percent of the cases of HPV reported each year. In females, if left untreated, HPV can cause cervical cancer or genital warts.

 

The vaccine requires three doses to ensure the virus is fully introduced to the immune system. If one stage is not completed, the series must start over.

 

Diane Harper, a professor in the department of family and geriatric medicine at the University of Louisville, specializes in many fields, including gynecology, and was the leading research expert for the second and third phases of the vaccine. According to Harper, a vigorous marketing campaign was pursued to “incite the greatest fear possible” in parents of these children to promote the vaccine. Many parents, upon hearing it prevented STIs, opted to include their children in the series without considering facts which may not have been fully explained.

 

“Gardasil is associated with serious adverse events, including death,” Harper said. In fact, to date, 44 girls have died of the effects of the vaccine. Harper continued, “If Gardasil is given to 11-year-olds and the vaccine does not last at least 15 years, then there is no benefit – and only risk – for the young girl.”

 

Over 15,000 girls have reported side effects from Gardasil including paralysis which can last years or even be permanent, as well as lupus, seizures, blood clots and brain inflammation. If the HPV vaccine does not prove to be effective for more than 15 years, it will mark the failure of the most costly public health experiment in cancer control. Additionally, the vaccine has only been proven to have efficacy for five years. After this time, an additional vaccination may be necessary for protection.

 

Dr. Sarah Sayger of the Purdue University Student Health Center (PUSH), said the vaccine is offered at PUSH as a viable means of protection against HPV.

 

Without insurance, each immunization at the clinic costs between $160 and $170 per shot.

 

The statistic shows roughly 65 percent of the population has been exposed to the HPV virus, though not all may show the signs of infection. Men are largely carriers of the disease, and it is women who are at a long-term risk of cancer. According to Sayger, the students who request the vaccine are often the individuals that never finished all three doses or students seeking more information about it.

 

“This is what I tell students who come in asking about it,” Sayger said. “If someone is interested in dating and they are a sexually active individual, they are more likely to pick someone with HPV than without.”

 

“I guess if you look at cervical cancer as something that kills women ... a disease (for which) the treatment is the removal of the uterus (rendering) them infertile ... a vaccine that can prevent that ... from a community health standpoint, that’s huge,” Sayger said.

 

After the substantially lessened propagation of mainstream advertising, more young adults are able to consider for themselves the risks of taking or not taking the vaccine. More information regarding the vaccine can be obtained from PUSH physicians or your local family doctor.

 

source: http://www.purdueexponent.org/features/article_209898d8-1f65-596d-8f12-8cfc6938bde4.html

[+ Gar1eth]

It was outdated, Unicorn. The article was written in 2007 and updated last in 2008.

Thank you for correcting it.

 

Another thing I stumbled upon while researching information was the controversy surrounding Gardasil. I remember from the news that there was (still is) a big issue with the vaccine.[/color]

 

 

 

Controversy condemning Gardasil may be warranted

 

Gardasil may be a vaccine familiar to many young adults in the United States as it came out while most were reaching puberty.

 

Kids who barely understood the process of sexual intercourse were subjected by their parents to receive a vaccine, regardless that many may not have understood its purpose.

 

Gardasil was developed in 2006 to prevent human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6, 11, 16 and 18 in both males and females. There are over 100 strands of this virus, but these four strands account for 70 percent of the cases of HPV reported each year. In females, if left untreated, HPV can cause cervical cancer or genital warts.

 

The vaccine requires three doses to ensure the virus is fully introduced to the immune system. If one stage is not completed, the series must start over.

 

Diane Harper, a professor in the department of family and geriatric medicine at the University of Louisville, specializes in many fields, including gynecology, and was the leading research expert for the second and third phases of the vaccine. According to Harper, a vigorous marketing campaign was pursued to “incite the greatest fear possible” in parents of these children to promote the vaccine. Many parents, upon hearing it prevented STIs, opted to include their children in the series without considering facts which may not have been fully explained.

 

“Gardasil is associated with serious adverse events, including death,” Harper said. In fact, to date, 44 girls have died of the effects of the vaccine. Harper continued, “If Gardasil is given to 11-year-olds and the vaccine does not last at least 15 years, then there is no benefit – and only risk – for the young girl.”

 

Over 15,000 girls have reported side effects from Gardasil including paralysis which can last years or even be permanent, as well as lupus, seizures, blood clots and brain inflammation. If the HPV vaccine does not prove to be effective for more than 15 years, it will mark the failure of the most costly public health experiment in cancer control. Additionally, the vaccine has only been proven to have efficacy for five years. After this time, an additional vaccination may be necessary for protection.

 

Dr. Sarah Sayger of the Purdue University Student Health Center (PUSH), said the vaccine is offered at PUSH as a viable means of protection against HPV.

 

Without insurance, each immunization at the clinic costs between $160 and $170 per shot.

 

The statistic shows roughly 65 percent of the population has been exposed to the HPV virus, though not all may show the signs of infection. Men are largely carriers of the disease, and it is women who are at a long-term risk of cancer. According to Sayger, the students who request the vaccine are often the individuals that never finished all three doses or students seeking more information about it.

 

“This is what I tell students who come in asking about it,” Sayger said. “If someone is interested in dating and they are a sexually active individual, they are more likely to pick someone with HPV than without.”

 

“I guess if you look at cervical cancer as something that kills women ... a disease (for which) the treatment is the removal of the uterus (rendering) them infertile ... a vaccine that can prevent that ... from a community health standpoint, that’s huge,” Sayger said.

 

After the substantially lessened propagation of mainstream advertising, more young adults are able to consider for themselves the risks of taking or not taking the vaccine. More information regarding the vaccine can be obtained from PUSH physicians or your local family doctor.

 

source: http://www.purdueexponent.org/features/article_209898d8-1f65-596d-8f12-8cfc6938bde4.html

 

Steven- I haven't looked at the literature. But considering the way that most vaccines work- unless someone is allergic to a vaccine component, there is something wrong in a batch of the vaccine, or an immune suppressed person accidentally receives a live virus vaccine death- is very unlikely. In fact if you consider the number of people who have received Gardasil, if the deaths were actually due to Gardasil, that seems a very low number to me. Also Katie Couric on her, thank gosh now cancelled talk show, played into the hysteria on this topic. Just because someone dies after a Gardasil injection, doesn't mean that Gardasil caused it. The main concern I would have for the vaccine is if the effects do wear off after 15 years. Even if they do, I'd say that vaccinating children in their early teen years is good as it would hopefully prevent infection in their early sexual life. And possibly by then it will be known about the safety of boosters like with a tetanus shot.

 

Gman

[Steven_Draker]

In fact if you consider the number of people who have received Gardasil, if the deaths were actually due to Gardasil, that seems a very low number to me.

 

Is this how a health care provider is supposed to talk?

 

It is NOT ok even if a single person dies after receiving Gardasil. Here we're talking of 44 girls.

 

"In fact, to date, 44 girls have died of the effects of the vaccine."

 

http://truthaboutgardasil.org/memorial/

 

This might be of interest: Now Japan pulls Gardasil shots for young girls

http://www.wnd.com/2013/10/now-japan-pulls-gardasil-shots-for-young-girls/

[+ Gar1eth]

In fact if you consider the number of people who have received Gardasil, if the deaths were actually due to Gardasil, that seems a very low number to me.

 

Is this how a health care provider is supposed to talk?

 

I'm not a healthcare provider. I do, however, play one on TV (I'm joking here. I'm not an actor either).

 

It is NOT ok even if a single person dies after receiving Gardasil.[/ Here we're talking of 44 girls.

 

"In fact, to date, 44 girls have died of the effects of the vaccine."

 

I apologize if what I wrote seemed to say that- what I meant to say is that if Gardasil were causing these deaths- considering how many doses have been distributed- I would expect a lot more deaths to have occurred if the vaccine were dangerous. But I will admit I could be wrong about this.

 

 

 

http://truthaboutgardasil.org/memorial

 

I'm not convinced that this website is doing anything more than rumor-and fearmongering

 

This might be of interest: Now Japan pulls Gardasil shots for young girls

http://www.wnd.com/2013/10/now-japan-pulls-gardasil-shots-for-young-girls/

 

You are correct. This is news. It will be interesting to see what the denouement ( that's French for conclusion/resolution )of this situation will be.

 

 

Gman

[Guest]

Kids who barely understood the process of sexual intercourse were subjected by their parents to receive a vaccine, regardless that many may not have understood its purpose.

...

Diane Harper, a professor in the department of family and geriatric medicine at the University of Louisville, specializes in many fields, including gynecology, and was the leading research expert for the second and third phases of the vaccine. According to Harper, a vigorous marketing campaign was pursued to “incite the greatest fear possible” in parents of these children to promote the vaccine. Many parents, upon hearing it prevented STIs, opted to include their children in the series without considering facts which may not have been fully explained.

 

“Gardasil is associated with serious adverse events, including death,” Harper said. In fact, to date, 44 girls have died of the effects of the vaccine. Harper continued, “If Gardasil is given to 11-year-olds and the vaccine does not last at least 15 years, then there is no benefit – and only risk – for the young girl.”...

Over 15,000 girls have reported side effects from Gardasil including paralysis which can last years or even be permanent, as well as lupus, seizures, blood clots and brain inflammation. If the HPV vaccine does not prove to be effective for more than 15 years, it will mark the failure of the most costly public health experiment in cancer control. Additionally, the vaccine has only been proven to have efficacy for five years.

 

Steven,

I respect your opinions, but if you're going to put out stuff like this, please reference actual studies and/or reputable sources. Gardasil is given before puberty because it really works best if given before the onset of sexual activity. Giving children Gardasil is not giving them permission to have sex any more than giving them a tetanus shot is giving them permission to step on rusty nails. Although the initial studies only had to prove efficacy for five years, follow-up studies have show efficacy for as long as they have been looking, which is over 10 years now. If it is shown that immunity wanes, guess what, we'll recommend booster shots. Big deal. We're giving booster shots for whooping cough now. If you have links to scientific studies showing that Gardasil causes death, lupus, seizures, blood clots, and/or brain inflammation, let's see them--and not some post hoc ergo propter hoc case report. It's not the case that if you miss one dose you have to start over again. According to the manufacturer's website "GARDASIL should be administered in 3 separate intramuscular injections in the deltoid region of the upper arm or in the higher anterolateral area of the thigh. Individuals are encouraged to adhere to the 0-, 2-, and 6-month vaccination schedule. However, in clinical studies, efficacy has been established in individuals who have received all 3 doses within a 1-year period." https://www.merckvaccines.com/Products/Gardasil/Pages/dosageandadministration

In practice, we will go beyond a year if that's when the patient shows up. A huge study following 1 million girls, and published in the reputable British Medical Journal found no association with death, lupus (or other autoimmune disease), seizures (or other neurological events), or blood clots (thromboembolic events), which pretty much de-bunks your un-sourced allegations:

http://www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.f5906

The safety of the vaccine is also discussed in the CDC website, referencing a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/Vaccines/HPV/jama.html

http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=184421

 

So if we're going to have an intelligent conversation, please make references to real scientific data and synthesis by national organizations, rather than some outspoken University of Louisville professor talking her head off to Katie Couric.

[Steven_Draker]

Steven, I respect your opinions ...

 

Unicorn, this is not my opinion. That's what I gathered after doing my research.

Let me reiterate that I'm not against vaccination. I've been vaccinated against Hepatitis A and B and I get a flu shot every year before winter starts. I'm up for anything that will keep one healthy for a long time. However in the case of Gardasil, I believe there are several "flows" that needs to be pointed out.

 

Two examples: Japan and France:

 

Japan

 

"On June 14, 2013, Japan’s health ministry raised eyebrows around the world by deciding to formally withdraw its recommendation for HPV vaccination (Gardasil, Cervarix) to protect girls against cervical cancer.

 

The reason? Hundreds of complaints from Japanese citizens about possible side effects such as long-term pain, numbness and even paralysis.

 

In an attempt to avoid completely alienating the World Health Organization, which recommends the HPV vaccine used by many developed nations, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare insisted that it is not suspending the use of the vaccine, but simply instructed local Japanese governments not to promote it until more study is conducted on its safety.

 

Mariko Momoi, vice president of the International University of Health and Welfare, who headed the task force on the matter said:

“The decision (not to recommend the vaccination) does not mean that the vaccine itself is problematic from the viewpoint of safety. By implementing investigations, we want to offer information that can make the people feel more at ease.”

 

Blah, blah, blah. The best government-speak in the world doesn’t drown out this message which is LOUD and clear. The Japanese health ministry doesn’t trust the HPV vaccines Gardasil or Cervarix.

 

It is important to note that it is rare for the Japanese health ministry to withdraw a recommendation for a vaccine that is used regularly by local governments and is spelled out as part of revisions to the Preventative Vaccination Law approved in April 2013.

 

The cervical cancer vaccine is still available to girls for free under subsidies provided by the law although medical institutions must now inform them beforehand that the ministry does not recommend it.

 

So far, an estimated 3.28 million people have received the vaccination in Japan alone. However, 1,968 cases of possible side effects, including body pain, have been reported. Side effects in the United States are shown in the chart to the right, courtesy of SaneVax.org.

 

The ministry’s task force discussed 43 of the 1,968 adverse cases in Japan. Based on its analysis into the matter, the task force concluded that the ministry should withdraw its recommendation until it can offer appropriate information about what caused the sometimes debilitating side effects.

 

The ministry’s investigation is expected to take several months. At that time, a decision will be rendered whether to reinstate recommendation for HPV vaccination or continue to withhold it.

 

Mika Matsufuji, head of a group of parents who say their children have suffered side effects from the cervical cancer vaccine, said:

“We welcome the decision not to recommend the vaccination even though it is a small step. Parents can decide whether their children should receive the vaccination or not.”

 

This is not the first time Japan has bucked the trend toward more vaccinations.

 

In 1975, Japan eliminated all vaccines for children under the age of 2. The country’s infant mortality rate subsequently plummeted to the lowest level in the world. Japan changed its infant vaccination schedule again in 1995, but it remains one of the least aggressive in the world with Japan’s infant mortality rate (IMR) remaining low as well (third in 2009). The United States ranks 34th.

 

source: http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/gardasil-shocker-japan-withdraws-support-for-hpv-vaccine/

 

France

 

http://healthimpactnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/HPV.jpg

 

Mainstream news media widely reported last month that a French teenager had filed a lawsuit against French pharmaceutical company, Sanofi Pasteur, and France’s health regulators, over side-effects that were caused by the Gardasil HPV vaccine. The French teenager is suffering from multiple sclerosis as a result of the Gardasil HPV vaccine. This story is quite significant for two major reasons. First, you will never read a story like this happening in the United States, because you cannot sue a pharmaceutical company for damages as a result of vaccines in the United States. U.S. law, upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2011, gives total immunity to pharmaceutical companies in the U.S. for any damages related to vaccine products. Secondly, negative news regarding lawsuits or government action against vaccines in countries outside the U.S. are almost never reported in the U.S. media. How this one slipped through the cracks is not clear to me at this point. It could be that they believe they have an air-tight defense in this lawsuit, and that the overall media exposure for them will be positive on this. Or, it could be that Sanofi, a French company, does not have the same media lobbyists and influence that American and UK drug firms seem to have. The news regarding Gardasil outside the U.S. is very negative, while the U.S. media has continued to propagate the notion that Gardasil is one of the safest vaccines on the market. Japan recently announced it had stopped recommending Gardasil vaccines and has begun a full investigation into the safety of the vaccine, amid numerous reports of severe injuries from side effects. In addition to all the bad publicity Gardasil is receiving over severe side effects, including death, a study that was completely ignored by the U.S. media earlier this year, linked the HPV vaccine to premature menopause in teenage girls. In another recent report that was completely ignored by the mainstream U.S. media, it was found that the Bill Gates funded group, PATH, which participated in HPV vaccine drug trials in India, violated the law resulting in fatalities of young girls during the drug trials. An investigation is ongoing in India. Could we be looking at another Merck disaster similar to Vioxx, which reportedly killed more than 60,000 people before it was removed from the market?

 

Sanofi sued in France over Gardasil vaccine

Chicago Tribune

 

Excerpts: BORDEAUX (Reuters) – A French teenager has filed a lawsuit against French pharmaceutical company Sanofi Pasteur and France’s health regulators, her lawyer said on Sunday, over side-effects they say were caused by the Gardasil anti-cervical cancer vaccine. The lawsuit, filed on Friday in Bobigny outside Paris, says Sanofi and health regulators violated “obvious safety obligations and breached the principles of precaution and prevention.” The plaintiff’s lawyer, Jean-Christophe Coubris, who is based in Bordeaux, said his now 18-year-old client was 15 when she received two injections of Gardasil, which is made by Merck and sold in Europe by Sanofi. Within months she was hospitalized for multiple sclerosis, he said. “She temporarily lost her sight and the use of her legs,” Coubris said in a statement.

 

source: http://healthimpactnews.com/2013/sanofi-sued-in-france-over-gardasil-vaccine-could-this-be-the-beginning-of-the-end-for-gardasil/

[+ Gar1eth]

Since no one knows what causes multiple sclerosis, and I'm horribly sorry this teenager has it, but until proven otherwise, it's a case of post hoc ergo propter hoc- the logical fallacy that because an event occurs after another event the 1st event caused it. It's the same logic that the people who think vaccinations cause autism use. However, I'm all for further study of the vaccine. I can only report my own experience with it which has no more real validity than the teenager who claims it caused his MS. I have had no change in health since receiving it.

 

 

Gman

[+ Funguy]

Since no one knows what causes multiple sclerosis, and I'm horribly sorry this teenager has it, but until proven otherwise, it's a case of post hoc ergo propter hoc- the logical fallacy that because an event occurs after another event the 1st event caused it. It's the same logic that the people who think vaccinations cause autism use. However, I'm all for further study of the vaccine. I can only report my own experience with it which has no more real validity than the teenager who claims it caused his MS. I have had no change in health since receiving it.

 

Gman

 

Another perfect example of post hoc ergo proper hoc is a case I had back in the late 70's when the issue of vaccines causing seizures/mental retardation was rampant (long before the autism issue). A couple brought their 2 month old infant for a check up and vaccines on a Friday afternoon. After I explained about the immunizations, including good stuff and bad stuff and the possibility of simply a bit of irritability, the couple explained they were spending the weekend away for the first time in many months and would I wait until the following week when they returned? Of course, I'll wait. That night I got a call from the ER that the baby showed up having had a generalized seizure (w/o fever). Imagine if I had given the vaccines - those vaccines would have been blamed for what was later diagnosed as a rare degenerative neurological disorder. The vaccines would have been blamed for actually triggering the disorder!

That kind of reasoning was rampant in the 70's-80's-and even 90's before the autism bullshit.

 

To go into the list and causes for the re-emergence/epidemics of VPD's (vaccine preventable diseases) is material for a whole other thread but suffice it to say that, please get your kids immunized for whooping cough (even you adults need to get the vaccine if you will be around newborns - epidemic now in Southern California), measles, etc.

[Guest]

Unicorn, this is not my opinion. That's what I gathered after doing my research.

 

It looks as if you responded to my plea to come up with real scientific studies by quoting a bunch of speculative non-scientific articles. One cannot intelligently conclude that because someone got multiple sclerosis after getting the HPV vaccine that they got it because of the HPV vaccine. The only way to show at least a true association (which wouldn't even show causation) is to follow over time large numbers of people, some who received the HPV and some not, and observe the rate of events in the two groups. That is what was done in the BMJ journal article last August (2013). They compared 300,000 girls who had received the HPV with 700,000 who had not, and found no pattern. (To actually show causation rather than just association, you would have to randomly give half the vaccine and half a placebo; but if there is no association, one can also rule out causation). The fact that there are lawsuits certainly proves nothing. You really think lawyers are above slinging bullshit if they think they can make money from it? Many lawyers made millions of dollars by "proving" in court that the MMR vaccine caused autism, when it is now very firmly established that it does not. And for God's sake, doing an internet search is not "doing research," for crying out loud.

If you believe that whenever B happens after A, that B happens because of A, you must believe that because the sun comes up each morning right after the rooster crows, that the sun comes up because the rooster crows. (Although at least in that case, there's an association, albeit not causation)