Too soon to make Gardasil mandatory

-LoHud.com

09/17/2008- Why on earth is Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, D-Scarsdale, in a Sept. 10 Community View, "Mandatory vaccination best way to prevent cervical cancer," encouraging legislation to make the Gardasil vaccine mandatory in New York state? Even Dr. Diane Harper, a specialist on human papillomavirus who helped to develop the Gardasil vaccine, has said that mandating any vaccine without first testing its effectiveness, safety and long-term side effects is "unacceptable." Dr. Harper has even stated that the vaccine may cause other harms that are as yet unknown until further testing is completed in September 2009.

Although Gardasil has been shown to prevent precancerous lesions, it has been impossible to ascertain whether or not it will actually prevent cancer because the testing period has been so short (it was fast-tracked for approval by the Food and Drug Administration on June 8, 2006.) The vaccine targets only four out of more than 30 strains of HPV, and the effectiveness of the drug, according to Judicial Watch, may only be 2-3 years, although it is the most expensive vaccine on the market. Even with the vaccine, women will still be required to have Pap smears on a regular basis for early detection of cervical cancer.

Does anyone remember thalidomide, which was supposed to prevent morning sickness in pregnant women? Inadequate testing of that drug led to the births of thousands of malformed babies worldwide. Has Amy Paulin's campaign received money from Merck and, if so, can her word on the subject be trusted?

If you or a loved one have experienced serious side effects as a result of the Gardasil HPV vaccination such as blood clots, paralysis, seizures, or other Gardasil side effects, you may be entitled to compensation. Pregnant women who suffered a miscarriage or fetal abnormalities following the administration of Gardasil, should contact one of our Gardasil side effect lawyers in order to protect your rights. For more information about a potential Gardasil lawsuit, or Gardasil side effects, fill out our free case evaluation form or call the toll-free number listed below today.