cervical cancer

[pyxichick]

There's an ongoing clinical study right now on HPV vaccines in older women. I almost got to participate in the trial, but found out later I couldn't because of some medication I'm taking for my colitis. But, I would've definitely participated if I could. They are giving free vaccines and paying $400 to participate in a 2 year study.

[chickwhorips]

i just got my pap back and its abnormal again. i have to go in and have another colposcopy done. though i was told at my age (26) yes for sure get the vaccine.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Well, gotta say here that it creeps me out to no end that the one paharmaceutical company has just invented this vaccine and have NOT tested it longterm on ANYONE yet and now they want to inject a series of it into every little girl in the US by law. No one knows what long term side effects this vaccine might have.
Who stands to gain the most profit from this vaccine?- well the pharmaceutical company that invented it of course- they'll make BILLIONS and BILLIONS of dollars off this patented drug and they are the ONLY ones who paid MILLIONS of dollars of funding to get legislators to try to pass laws requiring it for all little girls. They are the ones funding the entire rushed push to force the sale of millions of these vaccine series to parents all over the country (at something like $350 per series). I suspect more big money is at stake here than for any other newly invented and patented drug in history.
Just my 2 cents, and there's no way I would inject this untested vaccine into my two little girls...I'm glad they're all grown up already and won't be forced by law to be guinea pigs for the big drug companies.

[matagi]

Lisa, whilst I can understand your concern, I feel I must point out that this is not an untested product. It has gone through clinical testing which includes human testing prior to its release on the market.

Basically you have to look at the risks vs benefits ... what are the potential risks and benefits of the vaccine compared to HPV infection with its risk of developing cervical cancer and the associated sequelae?

Oh yes, and just to clarify - the vaccine was not "invented" by this one pharmaceutical company. It was in fact developed in Australia by Professor Ian Frazer, an immunologist, and the technology was licensed to Merck for further development.

[EBD]

I also understand the concern about long-term effects, but if we waited to see if the subjects in clinical trials had any effects 40 years later, there would be an additional 40 year lag before we could take advantage of any new medical technology! That may be the most prudent approach, but it's not realistic.

On the topic of the vaccine only being for young girls - my mom (who works in medical research) tells me that there is some research indicating that the vaccine might help women who are already HPV positive to shed the virus faster. Since I've tested positive, I'm going to ask at my pap next week.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I do hear what you are all saying. I'm no fan of cervical cancer, and I'm not generally anti-vaccine. I just think about this one differently. I think a minimum 10 year study on some volunteer young girl subjects would be ethical before mandating injecting the entire nation of millions of young girls. At least find out if it leads to later fertility problems or birth defects first.
Merck Pharmaceuticals has invested big money in pushing the mandatory vaccination law proposals, and stands to become filthy rich (again).

[Tuckervill]

Lisa, I just wanted to say that I agree with you, that we should be more cautious about what we inject in our children. It's the mandatory nature that I disagree with.

Karen

[matagi]

I do hear what you are all saying. I'm no fan of cervical cancer, and I'm not generally anti-vaccine. I just think about this one differently. I think a minimum 10 year study on some volunteer young girl subjects would be ethical before mandating injecting the entire nation of millions of young girls. At least find out if it leads to later fertility problems or birth defects first.

By what mechanism do you think it is going to cause birth defects or fertility problems? The vaccine is designed to stimulate the immune system against the virus. If the vaccine has the potential to cause those problems, then the virus itself would have the same effect and I don't think there have been any reports linking HPV to birth defects or fertility problems (other than the obvious one that occurs after you've had half your insides taken out because of cancer).

I agree that there should be more discussion before any proposal for mandatory vaccination is considered but more from a cost-benefit perspective than a risk of adverse reactions.

[Grog]

Well the only thing I can think of is that HPV might have a role that we don't know about yet in... something we don't know about yet.

Otherwise, vaccines are a pretty well-understood technology.

I generally agree with Lisa SH that pharm companies are a powerful lobby, and that this decision to make the vaccine mandatory (can anyone post a link to information about this "mandatory" thing?????) might be no stranger to that.

However it's also common to give a given vaccine to everyone of a generation so that the disease is eradicated. But then boys should get it too, since they will keep transmitting it. By vaccinating only girls, aren't we perpetuating the problem (and making an eternal market for the vaccine)?