any other good alternative medicine newsgroups?

August 24, 2008

Does anyone know of any other good alternative newsgroups? I like this one a lot. g

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Saturday, August 23, 2008 4:20 AM

Digest Number 3627

Messages In This Digest (25 Messages)

1. Mercky Jerkey - A medifable Tony De Angelis

2. Re: Measles outbreak ~ 65 of children were Vaccinated with MMR blessingsx10

3a. Re: Candida? health problems. Darla Starkey

3b. Re: Candida? health problems. Tony De Angelis

4a. Re: [sPAM] Re: pain Darla Starkey

5a. FDA gives green light to irradiated lettuce, spinach Viviane Lerner

5b. Re: FDA gives green light to irradiated lettuce, spinach Tony De Angelis

6a. New file uploaded to

7. GARDASIL Vaccine: The Damage Continues Raven

8. Pill may lead women to the wrong guy Misty

9. Fat, MSG, Aspartame, It's in all the food! M.M.

10. MSG Makes You FAT!!!! M.M.

11a. Hidden Names for MSG M.M.

12. philosphy of regeneration Melissa Catalano

13a. Re: Kidney issues Rebecca Smith

14a. Re: How do you live without income? Vibhuti Sanghani

15.1. New Member electraglide003

16a. Re: Let's Talk Bipolar pace60002000

17.1. Re: OT: good grammar ec

18. Lie defectives Supporter"yas"

19. Fox News Caught Using Neurolinguistic Programming.[MUST SEEEEE!] Misty

20. PETA KILLED more than 90% of the animals in its care in 2007 Raven

21. OT- ADORABLE! BABY MOOSE Raven

22a. Re: Josephine RE: CHANGE YOUR PERSONAL SETTINGS FOR EMAIL Bart Wheeler

23. Preview of Book Coconut Cures by Bruce Fife Hanneke

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Messages

1.

Mercky Jerkey - A medifable

Posted by: "Tony De Angelis" tntstuart tntstuart

Fri Aug 22, 2008 11:52 am (PDT)

A Bebop Medi-fable: Merckey Jerky Once upon a time in the state of Drugyoutoodetholis (drug-u-to’- deth-o-lis), in the land of the United Statutes of Limitations, an egg named Merckey Jerkey was depressed over the state of his health. He decided to sit on the edge of a roof to mull over his options in life. A crowd gathered. Some pleading with him not to jump, while others cheered him on to get him to jump. Bad news travels at the speed of cell phone transmissions and, almost immediately, representatives of the Inhumana Insurance Company and the Lotsaluck Insurance Company tried to sell him health and life insurance, respectively, since he was soon likely to need both of them. Shortly after, lawyers from the Schmuck, Shark, and Doom legal firm (former employees of the Merck, Sharpe, and Dome drug company) stood by to be sure none of his rights were violated and that professionals at the scene played by the “rules of the game” (Standards of Practice). They were on the roof with Merckey and below at the projected splash-down site. Last to arrive on the roof were the crack psychiatrists from the Psychoceramics (crackpot) Department of the nearby Neardeth Hospital. They came with prescription pads and pens in hand and samples of brain-altering drugs. For 15 minutes they tried to convince him to take the drugs and not jump. Promptly, after 15 minutes, they left the scene telling Merckey his time was up as they departed to the next jump site. In confusion and despair, with his yolk in a turmoil, Merckey fell off the wall. No one did anything to cushion the final impact. After he hit the ground, all the king’s orthopedists and all the king’s prescription pens couldn’t put Merckey together again. The lawyers quickly put together lawsuits against all professions that appeared at the site - and even those who didn’t show up. The Eggshell Recycling Team quickly scooped up fragments to repair slightly cracked eggs elsewhere. The Yolk and Albumin Team gathered up the rest to check for stem cells and proteins that could be used in research - and as face creams. But Merckey was gone – forever. Congress quickly convened and sought to introduce new legislation to help in situations such as this. Mostly they tried to see if they could divert funds from the near-bankrupt Social Insecurity Fund to spend on the near-failing Muddycare Fund. And this, boys and girls, is why our diseasecare system, which is not a healthcare system, is not working. written and copyrighted by A. J. (Tony) DeAngelis. MS, RD, LN/D eMail : tntstuart May be reprinted, but not edited, with permission of the writer

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2.

Re: Measles outbreak ~ 65 of children were Vaccinated with MMR

Posted by: "blessingsx10" blessingsx10 s_degiusti

Fri Aug 22, 2008 11:58 am (PDT)

Well, looks like the MMR doesn't protect against Measles - but we do know it can mess up your gut for life!So 65 unvaccinated children and 65 MMR Vaccinated children. How does big Pharma explain this???_http://jeffreydach.com/2008/08/22/parents-avoid-measles-vaccine-fearing-autism-link-by-jeffrey-dach-md.aspx_ (http://jeffreydach.com/2008/08/22/parents-avoid-measles-vaccine-fearing-autism-link-by-jeffrey-dach-md.aspx) **************It's only a deal if it's where you want to go. Find your travel deal here. (http://information.travel.aol.com/deals?ncid=aoltrv00050000000047)

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3a.

Re: Candida? health problems.

Posted by: "Darla Starkey" dsstarkey darlastarkey

Fri Aug 22, 2008 1:38 pm (PDT)

Grapefruit seed extract, pau d'arco, biotin for candida specifically. On my autism-related lists, a combination of antibacterial, antiviral and antifungals are used to great effect. Enzymedica makes a product called Candidase, and a combination of that product and their Virastop has helped many moms keep the yeast beast at bay, as well as keeping the bacterial and viral colonies from taking over. There are less expensive ways, but not always as effective.I am recovering from ME/CFS (and a few others, lol) and my dd is recovering from Asperger's, SID and PANDAS. The most effective intervention (and we are doing LOTS) has been high-quality digestive enzymes, with special attention paid to gluten, casein, fats and phenols. In addition to breaking down your foods properly, protease enzymes will "eat" candida die-off (eliminating much of the associated discomfort) and I think it's the phenol enzymes that break down the cell wall of yeast.There is a website with some good info, think it was www.enzymestuff.com.Are you against silver products? If not, taking a daily maintenance dose of silver can do a lot toward keeping overgrowth at bay.Hope this helps.Darla- chris_b_uk2 Sunday, August 17, 2008 7:49 AM[sPAM] Candida? health problems.Hi all.I am new to the group.I have been ill for about 5 years now since being bitten by a tickwhile camping. I was first diagnosed with M.E/CFS for 2 years until Ifound out about Lyme disease, found a good doctor and got tested. Iwas positive and started treatment with long term antibiotics.I have now been on antibiotics for about 18 months and I am muchbetter, but the antibiotics recently haven't made much difference andI think the infection might be eradicated but I have a different problem.Since first starting antibiotics I always have a dry mouth, awhite-coated tounge and I always feel bloated after eating sweetthings and starchy carbs. I am pretty certain I have a chronic candidaproblem attributing to my health problems.I did have a stool test about 18 months ago and it was positive forCandida back then, but stupidly did nothing about it as I was moreconcerned about the Lyme at the time.Now I want to stop the antibiotics and try to get rid of this candida.My symptoms now are; chronic fatigue, visual disturbances (floaters invision, glare, etc), pains in joints and muscles, bloated and gassystomach (mostly after eating simple carbs), very bad panic attacks andanxiety and headaches.I do live a pretty healthy life (except for the antibiotics). I try toexercise at least 3 times a week (It is difficult because I feel sofatigued), I eat organic whole foods, I have cut out 90% of junk andprocessed foods and I have replaced products containing chemicals withmore natural things, I don't smoke and I only drink filtered water.I'm still young (19) and I just so badly want to get back to my normallife and finish my education.Can you recommend a good candida program or anti-candida supplementsthat will help?Sorry for the long post and thanks for reading.Chris

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3b.

Re: Candida? health problems.

Posted by: "Tony De Angelis" tntstuart tntstuart

Fri Aug 22, 2008 3:04 pm (PDT)

Excellent advice from Darla. First, you should use copious amounts of omega-3 fats to quell the inflammation caused by candida. Use a bentonite +fiber cleanse to be sure all colonic rubbish is absorbed into the bentonite. Take this in increasing amounts until you get at least two large puffy bowel movements each day for about one week. If you experience gastric reflux regularly you should also take two mastic gum capsules first thing each morning on an empty stomach.. You can then use herbs and enzymes such outlined by Darla. I personally use oil of oregano for most of my clients along with colloidal silver three times per day for at least three weeks. After this you need to establish colonies of friendly flora in the gut by taking multiple types of probiotics along with prebiotics such as FOS and Xylitol. If it is indicated in your CBC blood tests you also need to use a full parasite cleanse. Further, if you can afford it, get a hair mineral assay (about $100 fromTrace Elements). If you have high levels of mercury, candida will persist just as readily as if you consumed large amounts of sugar and antibiotic-laced foods. Mercury can be removed using certain herbs like cilantro and chlorella and by eating two Brazil nuts per day or selenium supplements.. Sounds like a lot - but Candida is a bitch and needs to be treated seriously and completely while it is contained in the intestines. Do not let it have its way with you. If you have read Dr. Sinoncini's articles you will see it as the most likely cause of cancer.--- On Fri, 8/22/08, Darla Starkey <dsstarkey (AT) comcast (DOT) net> wrote:Darla Starkey <dsstarkey (AT) comcast (DOT) net> Re: Candida? health problems. Date: Friday, August 22, 2008, 4:37 PMGrapefruit seed extract, pau d'arco, biotin for candida specifically. On my autism-related lists, a combination of antibacterial, antiviral and antifungals are used to great effect. Enzymedica makes a product called Candidase, and a combination of that product and their Virastop has helped many moms keep the yeast beast at bay, as well as keeping the bacterial and viral colonies from taking over. There are less expensive ways, but not always as effective.I am recovering from ME/CFS (and a few others, lol) and my dd is recovering from Asperger's, SID and PANDAS. The most effective intervention (and we are doing LOTS) has been high-quality digestive enzymes, with special attention paid to gluten, casein, fats and phenols. In addition to breaking down your foods properly, protease enzymes will "eat" candida die-off (eliminating much of the associated discomfort) and I think it's the phenol enzymes that break down the cell wall of yeast.There is a website with some good info, think it was www.enzymestuff. com.Are you against silver products? If not, taking a daily maintenance dose of silver can do a lot toward keeping overgrowth at bay.Hope this helps.Darla - chris_b_uk2 Sunday, August 17, 2008 7:49 AM[sPAM][Health_ and_Healing] Candida? health problems.Hi all.I am new to the group.I have been ill for about 5 years now since being bitten by a tickwhile camping. I was first diagnosed with M.E/CFS for 2 years until Ifound out about Lyme disease, found a good doctor and got tested. Iwas positive and started treatment with long term antibiotics.I have now been on antibiotics for about 18 months and I am muchbetter, but the antibiotics recently haven't made much difference andI think the infection might be eradicated but I have a different problem.Since first starting antibiotics I always have a dry mouth, awhite-coated tounge and I always feel bloated after eating sweetthings and starchy carbs. I am pretty certain I have a chronic candidaproblem attributing to my health problems.I did have a stool test about 18 months ago and it was positive forCandida back then, but stupidly did nothing about it as I was moreconcerned about the Lyme at the time.Now I want to stop the antibiotics and try to get rid of this candida.My symptoms now are; chronic fatigue, visual disturbances (floaters invision, glare, etc), pains in joints and muscles, bloated and gassystomach (mostly after eating simple carbs), very bad panic attacks andanxiety and headaches.I do live a pretty healthy life (except for the antibiotics) . I try toexercise at least 3 times a week (It is difficult because I feel sofatigued), I eat organic whole foods, I have cut out 90% of junk andprocessed foods and I have replaced products containing chemicals withmore natural things, I don't smoke and I only drink filtered water.I'm still young (19) and I just so badly want to get back to my normallife and finish my education.Can you recommend a good candida program or anti-candida supplementsthat will help?Sorry for the long post and thanks for reading.Chris

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4a.

Re: [sPAM] Re: pain

Posted by: "Darla Starkey" dsstarkey darlastarkey

Fri Aug 22, 2008 1:49 pm (PDT)

Things that have helped us a great deal in this area (dd chronically constipated since birth) have been various forms of magnesium (I add flakes, oil and salts to her clay baths, as well as various oral forms), oxypowder and cat's claw. We also take digestive enzymes, so food gets broken down and absorbed much better. The clay baths themselves are very "moving" for her, as well.Darla- Talmer Shockley Monday, August 18, 2008 11:04 AM[sPAM] Re: painYes, most people living on a typical American diet haveunhealthy/clogged colons. And poor colon health affects many things.However, every body is different, so saying that one SHOULD have 3 or4 bowel movements per day does not apply to everyone. The bodynaturally functions and saying what a person's body should or shouldnot do is a bit over-arching in this situation.Yes, with an ideal diet and an ideal lifestyle and an ideal colon a BMafter every meal may be typical. But with my experience that rarelyhappens, and trying to induce that type of ideal behavior in one'sbody may cause one to over-stress and be overly concerned with theirbowel movements. Let the body function on its own timetable.That said, the typical American's colon health is abysmal and Mommy23is correct. The better rule of thumb is that if you have any kind ofreading material in the bathroom -if going #2 takes a lot longer thangoing #1, then your colon is not healthy. I recommend Jim's ColonPills and Jim's Colon Cleanse as great products for colon cleansing. See www.jimscolonpills.com.--- In , "mommy2threelilboys"<mommyon731 wrote:>> My chiropractor says that 90% of chronic back pain is because of an> unhealthy colon. One that is most likely not moving the way it> should. You should have a BM after every meal or 3-4 times a day. In> addition a regular regime of colon cleansing should be done.> > , "Claudia" <cfrench180@>> wrote:> >> > Chronic back pain is often a result of magnesium deficiency. > Magnesium added to a pain regime often also reduces the amounts of> other medications needed, including opiates in end stage cancerpatients! > > > > Transdermal Magnesium Therapy relieves pain in rapid and versatile> manner. You can read the chapter on magnesium and pain management> from Dr. Mark Sircus'> > book on Transdermal Magnesium Therapy at: > http://health.MagnesiumForLife/message/866> > > > > > Claudia French RN, LPHA> > Assistant Director > > International Medical Veritas Association> > http://www.imva.info/ > > > > MagnesiumForLife> > http://www.magnesiumforlife.com/> >>

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5a.

FDA gives green light to irradiated lettuce, spinach

Posted by: "Viviane Lerner" vivlerner vlerner2002

Fri Aug 22, 2008 3:59 pm (PDT)

Here comes another horror!Rather than demanding that the agrobusiness clean their act, let's get irradiation in the food chain. When we get enough documentation as to how unhealthy it is [and after they deny it for *quite* a long time], they'll sell us something else to offset the symptoms from irradiation...This mutating really is aggravating!By the way, from Wikipedia:Ionizing radiation has many practical uses in medicine, research, construction, and other areas, but presents a health hazard if used improperly. If enough ionizations occur in a biological system, they can be destructive, by such means as causing DNA damage in individual cells. Extensive doses of ionizing radiation have been shown to have a mutating effect on the victim's descendants. Both helpful and harmful aspects of ionizing radiation are discussed below.Viviane=========http://www.montereyherald.com/Poll: [scroll all the way down]Question of the dayWould you be comfortable eating lettuce or spinach that's been irradiated?Total Votes = 50Yesï¿¼24 Votes, or 48 %Noï¿¼26 Votes, or 52 %========http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/ 082208dnnatirradiate.42d89bd.htmlFDA gives green light to irradiated lettuce, spinach11:45 PM CDT on Thursday, August 21, 2008From Wire Reports>>The irradiation rule goes into effect today.<<------------http://www.newschief.com/article/20080822/NEWS/ 808220365 & title=Irradiating_greens_OK_to_kill_germsIrradiating greens OK to kill germsBy LAURAN NEERGAARDThe Associated PressPublished: Friday, August 22, 2008 at 4:01 a.m.Last Modified: Friday, August 22, 2008 at 7:53 a.m.WASHINGTON - Consumers worried about salad safety may soon be able to buy fresh spinach and iceberg lettuce zapped with just enough radiation to kill E. coli and a few other germs.----------http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/08/21/irradiated.produce.ap/index.htmlupdated 4:48 p.m. EDT, Thu August 21, 2008FDA OKs zapping greens for safetySTORY HIGHLIGHTSLettuce, spinach can now be irradiated to kill E.coli, other germsFDA: Nutrient value, texture of raw greens not compromisedMeat has been approved for irradiation for yearsE. coli is fairly sensitive to radiation, but salmonella can require more energyNext Article in Health Â»<a href="/2008/HEALTH/08/20/hpv.vaccine.ap/index.html? iref=nextin">Next Article in Health Â»</a>ï¿¼WASHINGTON (AP) -- Consumers worried about salad safety may soon be able to buy fresh spinach and iceberg lettuce zapped with just enough radiation to kill E. coli and a few other germs.ï¿¼The FDA said irradiation doesn't compromise the safety or nutrient value of raw spinach and lettuce.ï¿¼The Food and Drug Administration on Friday will issue a new regulation allowing spinach and lettuce sellers to take that extra step, a long-awaited move amid increasing outbreaks from raw produce.=====In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.

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5b.

Re: FDA gives green light to irradiated lettuce, spinach

Posted by: "Tony De Angelis" tntstuart tntstuart

Fri Aug 22, 2008 4:13 pm (PDT)

This is my question. If radiation kills the bugs aren't they still there - only dead? Are their remnants even more deadly than when they were alive because we are eating their mutated DNA. Is htere any proof that I am wrong here?Here comes another horror!Rather than demanding that the agrobusiness clean their act, let's get irradiation in the food chain. When we get enough documentation as to how unhealthy it is [and after they deny it for *quite* a long time], they'll sell us something else to offset the symptoms from irradiation...This mutating really is aggravating!By the way, from Wikipedia:Ionizing radiation has many practical uses in medicine, research, construction, and other areas, but presents a health hazard if used improperly. If enough ionizations occur in a biological system, they can be destructive, by such means as causing DNA damage in individual cells. Extensive doses of ionizing radiation have been shown to have a mutating effect on the victim's descendants. Both helpful and harmful aspects of ionizing radiation are discussed below.Viviane=========http://www.montereyherald.com/Poll: [scroll all the way down]Question of the dayWould you be comfortable eating lettuce or spinach that's been irradiated?Total Votes = 50Yes 24 Votes, or 48 %No 26 Votes, or 52 %========http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/082208dnnatirradiate.42d89bd.htmlFDA gives green light to irradiated lettuce, spinach11:45 PM CDT on Thursday, August 21, 2008From Wire Reports>>The irradiation rule goes into effect today.<<------------http://www.newschief.com/article/20080822/NEWS/808220365 & title=Irradiating_greens_OK_to_kill_germsIrradiating greens OK to kill germsBy LAURAN NEERGAARDThe Associated PressPublished: Friday, August 22, 2008 at 4:01 a.m. Last Modified: Friday, August 22, 2008 at 7:53 a.m.WASHINGTON - Consumers worried about salad safety may soon be able to buy fresh spinach and iceberg lettuce zapped with just enough radiation to kill E. coli and a few other germs.----------http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/08/21/irradiated.produce.ap/index.htmlupdated 4:48 p.m. EDT, Thu August 21, 2008FDA OKs zapping greens for safetySTORY HIGHLIGHTSLettuce, spinach can now be irradiated to kill E.coli, other germsFDA: Nutrient value, texture of raw greens not compromisedMeat has been approved for irradiation for yearsE. coli is fairly sensitive to radiation, but salmonella can require more energyNext Article in Health »<a href="/2008/HEALTH/08/20/hpv.vaccine.ap/index.html?iref=nextin">Next Article in Health »</a>WASHINGTON (AP) -- Consumers worried about salad safety may soon be able to buy fresh spinach and iceberg lettuce zapped with just enough radiation to kill E. coli and a few other germs.The FDA said irradiation doesn't compromise the safety or nutrient value of raw spinach and lettuce.The Food and Drug Administration on Friday will issue a new regulation allowing spinach and lettuce sellers to take that extra step, a long-awaited move amid increasing outbreaks from raw produce.=====In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.

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6a.

New file uploaded to

Posted by:

Sat Aug 23, 2008 12:14 am (PDT)

Hello,This email message is a notification to let you know thata file has been uploaded to the Files area of the group.File : /iodine_book_03_30_08.pdf Uploaded by : mm121elaine <NWRaven > Description : Iodine PDF You can access this file at the URL:iodine_book_03_30_08.pdf To learn more about file sharing for your group, please visit:http://help./l/us//groups/original/members/web/index.htmlfilesRegards,mm121elaine <NWRaven >

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7.

GARDASIL Vaccine: The Damage Continues

Posted by: "Raven" NWRaven mm121elaine

Sat Aug 23, 2008 12:15 am (PDT)

NVIC Vaccine E-Newsletter August 13, 2008 GARDASIL Vaccine: The Damage Continues by Barbara Loe Fisher w ww.vaccineawakening.blogspot.com www.NVIC.org www.Stand UpBeCounted.org The vaccine reaction reports keep coming into the National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) from mothers describing how they took their healthy teenage girls into a pediatrician or gynecologist's office where they were given a GARDASIL shot and, then, nothing was ever the same again. The reports of HPV vaccine reactions, injuries and deaths continue to roll in, not only to NVIC but also to the federal Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (Search HPV4 at http://www.medalerts.org/vaersdb/index.html) newspapers, and television stations. And the only response that comes from officials at the CDC, FDA and drug companies when perfectly healthy teenage girls collapse into unconsciousness, suffer a massive seizure, get paralyzed or die suddenly after being injected with GARDASIL is the zombie mantra: "It is a coincidence." Last week a nurse who is an administrator in the outpatient department for a group of hospitals in California called and asked if NVIC had been getting reports of unusual collapse after GARDASIL vaccination. I said, yes, we are getting those reports and she said "A lot of our patients are collapsing after the shot is given. It happens with GARDASIL more frequently than with any other vaccine we give." That same week, NVIC received a report from the mother of a 15 year old daughter who got her first GARDASIIL shot last month. Within 10 minutes of being injected, she collapsed and had her first grand mal seizure, became incontinent, temporarily lost vision in her right eye, suffered uncontrolled vomiting and had to be taken by ambulance to the hospital. Another report to NVIC that week also involved first-time seizures in a 15 year old girl after she got a GARDASIL shot. Through June 30, 2008, there have been reports that at least 17 to 20 deaths have occurred following GARDASIL and were filed with the federal Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS), although the FDA has yet to admit even one death is causally related to the vaccine, suggesting that the girls would have died that day even if no vaccine had been given. Many of the teenage girls ,who die suddenly after vaccination without explanation, were among the brightest and the best and in top physician condition. This was true for 17 year old Jessica Ericzon, a New York softball player, snowboarder and honor roll student who dropped dead within 48 hours of getting a GARDASIL shot. A coroner could find no cause for her death after an autopsy. There have been so many reports of reactions, injuries and deaths following GARDASIL vaccination (20-25 percent of all vaccine adverse event reports being filed with VAERS are for GARDASIL vaccine reactions) that the FDA and CDC issued a statement defending the vaccine's safety on July 22. But one of the vaccine's developers has urged caution and offers practical advice about the need for continued use of Pap screening to prevent cervical cancer rather than relying on the vaccine to do the job. " If you are at all concerned, then don't have the vaccine - have regular Pap smears and you will be equally protected from cervical cancer....Pap screening is still the only proven method we have for cervical cancer prevention," said Professor Diane Harper, Ph.D. "We don't know how long the vaccine will protect a woman from HPV infection, and the vaccine does not protect against all types of HPV infection that cause cervical cancer." The "coincidence" defense mounted by doctors and drug company officials every time a vaccination is followed by injury and death is as old as it is unscientific. It is amazing that they have been able to get away with it for so long. Babies can't talk and babies can't walk so who they will become is still a dream. But young girls and women have already become much of who they will be and, on the cusp of fulfilling the dream, their vaccine deaths and injuries are much more difficult to sweep under the carpet. It is immoral for doctors in government and industry to continue to look away from the damage done when vaccines cut down the brightest and most physically fit among us. The suggestion that these healthy, high functioning girls were biologically compromised and would have died or been injured that day even if no vaccine had been given is ludicrous. If those in government responsible for protecting the public health and safety look the other way when healthy individuals die and are injured by pharmaceutical products pronounced by government as "safe" for public use, then we cannot be assured that any licensed drug or vaccine is safe. Last year, the head of the FDA in China was executed for allowing toxic pharmaceutical products to be licensed and released for public use that ended up killing and crippling people. ________ "I just kept thinking about the good outcomes rather than what could actually happen." What happened to Crystal Olivera was arm pain so severe that it left her unconscious immediately after a Gardasil shot, something she had never experienced with her hepatitis and meningitis vaccines. "The next thing I know I am on the floor in the fetal position." Had she known more about Gardasil - "I wish I'd waited a little until it was out in the public more and also that they did more research about the negative side effects." - Jamie Colby, Fox News (July 11, 2008) SEE VIDEO at http://www.foxnews.com/video2/video08.html? maven_referralObject=2233990 & maven_referralPlayli stId= & sRevUrl=http://www.foxnews.com/health/index.ht ml "Jessica Ericzon, 17, was "an all- American teenager," as described by one of her upstate LaFargeville teachers. Last February, she was working on her softball pitches, getting ready for a class trip to Universal Studios in Florida and hitting the slopes to snowboard with her older brother. Then one day, the blond, blue-eyed honors student collapsed dead in her bathroom. It started with a pain in the back of her head. On the advice of her family doctor, Jessie had taken a series of three Gardasil shots. The vaccine, marketed for females ages 9 to 26, is the first found to ward off strains of the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus, or HPV, which can cause cervical cancer. Jessie got the first injection in July 2007. After her second shot in September, she complained of a pain in the back of her head, fatigue and soreness in some joints, said her mom, Lisa. On Feb. 20, while on winter break from school, she got her third and final dose of the vaccine. The next night, "she told me the spot on the back of her head was bothering her again," her mom said. The next morning, Feb. 22, Lisa, a hospital technician, left for work just after 5 a.m., leaving Jessie asleep. Jessie never showed up for the class she was taking at Jefferson Community College. When her mom got home at 3:20 p.m., she found Jessie sprawled on her back on the bathroom floor, with blood spots on her head where it had hit a flowerpot. Jefferson County Medical Examiner Samuel Livingstone is stumped. "She was essentially dead by the time she hit the floor. Whatever it was, it was instantaneous," Livingstone said. His autopsy found no cause." - Susan Edelman, New York Post (July 20, 2008) http://www.nypost.com/seven/0720200 8/news/regionalnews/my_girl_died_as_guinea_pig_fo r_gardasil_120737.htm " Katherine Kimzey got her first injection of Gardasil along with a Hepatitis-A vaccine and a chicken pox booster. She got the second injection two months later, along with the D-TaP vaccination. Six weeks after the second injection of Gardasil, Katherine passed out. "I tried to get up and my neck was stiff, and I couldn't move it," the teenager explained. "I couldn't move at all." Katherine spent five days in the hospital......Shannon Nelson, 18, from the Chicago area, got the Gardasil shot and two other vaccines-- at the same time. Within a week the soccer star could barely move. "When I went into the hospital I couldn't walk at all. I had to have a wheelchair. It just got worse each day," she explained. Nelson spent 23 days in the hospital and while she's better now the teenager believes one of the vaccines she received is responsible for her illness and her neurologist says it's certainly possible. Katherine Kimzey is back on the soccer field in North Texas. But she still has occasional pain and doesn't know what the future will hold. Thinking about her past experience she says she still worries and so does her mom. Michelle Kimzey says next time; she won't be so quick to jump on the new vaccine bandwagon. "I think the connection is huge," she said.....In a statement to CBS 11 News, Merck -- the maker of Gardasil -- said it has analyzed the reports of paralysis and death, and believes: no safety issue related to the vaccine has been identified." - Ginger Allen, CBS News 11 - Dallas (July 21, 2008) http://cbs11tv.com/health/Gardasil.ce rvical.cancer.2.776277.html "Consumer concerns over safety have not been assuaged by "reassurances from the government," said Barbara Loe Fisher, cofounder of the National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC). "We have heard reassurances about safety before - for example, with the whole-cell pertussis (diphtheria- pertussis-tetanus [DPT]) vaccine in the 1980s," she said, noting that this was subsequently withdrawn and replaced by an acellular version in the United States in the 1990s. Ms. Fisher has a son whom she believes was damaged by the DPT vaccine 28 years ago, and she has worked ever since as an activist in the vaccine safety field in various capacities, including a 4- year stint as a consumer member of the FDA Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee.....In addition, the NVIC has been running its own private vaccine reaction registry for the past 26 years, and it currently has about 140 reports on Gardasil, Ms. Fisher said. "These include reports of injury and death, and we are seeing a pattern of what we have termed 'atypical collapse,' " she commented. "These include cases where a girl suddenly passes into unconsciousness either immediately or within 24 hours of vaccination and then revives feeling weak and unable to speak properly or exhibiting other neurological signs. What we are concerned about is that girls are not aware of this possibility and could be crossing the road or driving a car and suddenly pass out." Ms. Fisher also outlined concerns about how Gardasil has been studied. She pointed out that very few of the participants in the clinical trials were aged 11 to 12 years, which is the recommended target age for the vaccine. The New York Times reported in 2006 that of the 20,000 trial participants, 1200 were younger than 16 years." - Zosia Chustecka, Medscape Medical News (August 8, 2008) http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/578110 MY GIRL DIED AS 'GUINEA PIG' FOR GARDASIL http://www.nypost.com/seven/0720200 8/news/regionalnews/my_girl_died_as_guinea_pig_fo r_gardasil_120737.htm ... TRAGIC: Jessica Ericzon collapsed dead days after receiving a shot of the cervical-cancer vaccine Gardasil. New York Post July 20, 2008 By SUSAN EDELMAN She loved SpaghettiO's, pepperoni, lilies, listening to her iPod and making her pals laugh. In her senior yearbook, she wrote, "The best things in life aren't things, they're friends." Now that's the quote chiseled into her gravestone. Jessica Ericzon, 17, was "an all-American teenager," as described by one of her upstate LaFargeville teachers. Last February, she was working on her softball pitches, getting ready for a class trip to Universal Studios in Florida and hitting the slopes to snowboard with her older brother. Then one day, the blond, blue-eyed honors student collapsed dead in her bathroom. It started with a pain in the back of her head. On the advice of her family doctor, Jessie had taken a series of three Gardasil shots. The vaccine, marketed for females ages 9 to 26, is the first found to ward off strains of the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus, or HPV, which can cause cervical cancer. Jessie got the first injection in July 2007. After her second shot in September, she complained of a pain in the back of her head, fatigue and soreness in some joints, said her mom, Lisa. On Feb. 20, while on winter break from school, she got her third and final dose of the vaccine. The next night, "she told me the spot on the back of her head was bothering her again," her mom said. The next morning, Feb. 22, Lisa, a hospital technician, left for work just after 5 a.m., leaving Jessie asleep. Jessie never showed up for the class she was taking at Jefferson Community College. When her mom got home at 3:20 p.m., she found Jessie sprawled on her back on the bathroom floor, with blood spots on her head where it had hit a flowerpot. Jefferson County Medical Examiner Samuel Livingstone is stumped. "She was essentially dead by the time she hit the floor. Whatever it was, it was instantaneous," Livingstone said. His autopsy found no cause. He speculates she suffered a cardiac arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat, extremely rare in young people. Jessie had been on birth-control pills for a year to treat acne, records show. Livingstone reported Jessie's death to the federal Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System. Run by the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it has collected 8,000 reports of problems after Gardasil shots, including paralysis, seizures and miscarriages. Seventeen other deaths following the vaccine have been reported since Merck & Co. introduced it in 2006. Officials have confirmed 11 of the reported deaths so far, said CDC spokesman Curtis Allen. They have found "no pattern or connection" to Gardasil in eight deaths and are still reviewing three, he said. Lisa Ericzon now feels her daughter was "a guinea pig" for Gardasil, and is urging parents to research the vaccine before letting their daughters get it. "I want other mothers to know," said Lisa, the first parent of a girl who died after Gardasil to speak publicly. "I don't want them to go through what I went through." Jessie planned to major in psychology at SUNY Plattsburgh and pursue her greatest ambition - to become a New York state trooper. Just six days before she died, she got to ride along with a trooper canine unit. She was ecstatic . Her family started the Jessica Ericzon Memorial Fund to award scholarships to her classmates. Adverse Reactions Reported After Gardasil Shots CBS 11 News (Dallas) Ginger Allen, Reporting July 21, 2008 http://cbs11tv.com/health/Gardasil.ce rvical.cancer.2.776277.html DALLAS (CBS 11 News) ¯ The cervical cancer vaccine called Gardasil has been on the market for about two years. Thousands of girls and women across the country, who've received the series of shots, have reported painful and scary side effects and one Dallas family is going through a similar ordeal. Seizures, temporary paralysis and excruciating pain - those are a few of the symptoms some have reported after taking Gardasil. It took months for a North Texas teen to recover and her family says the Gardasil shots are the only explanation that makes sense. Dallas mother Michelle Kimzey saw the ads and heard all of the positive news about Gardasil and how it could help prevent cervical cancer. So when she took her 13-year-old daughter, Katherine, to the doctor, getting the vaccine was a 'no-brainer'. "I thought, wow! When we left the office, I said, I just protected her from one more disease!" Katherine got her first injection of Gardasil along with a Hepatitis-A vaccine and a chicken pox booster. She got the second injection two months later, along with the D-TaP vaccination. Six weeks after the second injection of Gardasil, Katherine passed out. "I tried to get up and my neck was stiff, and I couldn't move it," the teenager explained. "I couldn't move at all." Katherine spent five days in the hospital. Before the Gardasil vaccine, Katherine was a healthy teen. Her mother suspected Gardasil had something to do with the sudden illness, but doctors ran every test they could think of and couldn't make the connection. "The most definitive answer was, that's not it," Michelle Kimzey said. "We can't tell you what's wrong, but that's not it." Barbara Loe Fisher is president of the National Vaccine Information Center, an independent, non- profit clearinghouse for information on vaccines and disease. She says nearly 100 parents, including Katherine's, have contacted the organization believing their daughters have suffered an adverse reaction following a Gardasil shot - at times- given in combination with other vaccines. Fisher says the reports of complication have caused a real 'crisis of trust' in the hearts and minds of parents. Since Gardasil won FDA approval, eight million shots have been given. Officials with the Centers for Disease Control say more than 9,000 adverse reactions have been reported. But only six-percent of those are considered serious and that's less than half of what is reported for most vaccines. Dallas OBGYN Dr. Sheila Chhutani says half of all women will be infected with HPV at some point during their lives. She believes the small number of adverse reactions is far outweighed by the vaccine's benefits. "So when you look at those numbers and compare them to the numbers of adverse affects with the Gardasil....to me, right now, there is still no comparison." Dr. Chhutani offers Gardasil to patients between the ages of nine and 26. She will not however give the injection at the same time as other vaccines. Dr. Chhutani says there should be more investigation into whether Gardasil -- given in combination with other vaccines -- could cause an adverse reaction. Shannon Nelson, 18, from the Chicago area, got the Gardasil shot and two other vaccines-- at the same time. Within a week the soccer star could barely move. "When I went into the hospital I couldn't walk at all. I had to have a wheelchair. It just got worse each day," she explained. Nelson spent 23 days in the hospital and while she's better now the teenager believes one of the vaccines she received is responsible for her illness and her neurologist says it's certainly possible. Katherine Kimzey is back on the soccer field in North Texas. But she still has occasional pain and doesn't know what the future will hold. Thinking about her past experience she says she still worries and so does her mom. Michelle Kimzey says next time; she won't be so quick to jump on the new vaccine bandwagon. "I think the connection is huge," she said. The CDC is also looking into 17 reported deaths but doesn't believe Gardasil is to blame. In a statement to CBS 11 News, Merck -- the maker of Gardasil -- said it has analyzed the reports of paralysis and death, and believes: no safety issue related to the vaccine has been identified. HPV Vaccine Deemed Safe and Effective, Despite Reports of Adverse Events by Zosia Chustecka Medscape Medical News August 8, 2008 http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/578110 Editor's note: This article replaces "HPV Vaccine Adverse Events Worrisome Says Key Investigator," which was posted on July 26, 2008, and was removed after editorial review. Reports of adverse events after administration of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine (Gardasil, Merck) have been making headlines, and questions over the safety of the vaccine have been raised by consumers, parents, healthcare professionals, and others, notes a recent joint statement from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). But having analyzed the available data, the agencies offer reassurance. "Based on ongoing assessments of vaccine safety information, the FDA and CDC continue to find that Gardasil is a safe and effective vaccine," the agencies said in a statement released on July 22, 2008. "The benefits continue to outweigh the risks," they said. "This vaccine is an important cervical cancer prevention tool," they added. The manufacturer also issued a statement, dated July 10, 2008, saying it too had analyzed available data and it "believes that no safety issue related to the vaccine has been identified. These types of events are events that could also be seen in the general population, even in the absence of vaccination." Both statements were issued after several cases of damage allegedly caused by the vaccine were highly publicized in the lay media in the United States. One example is the case of a 13-year-old now almost completely paralyzed, as reported on CBS News. Another report described a 19-year-old who collapsed and died 2 weeks after receiving the first dose of Gardasil. This report first appeared in East Bay Express News (California) and was recycled on NaturalNews.com with the headline "Girl Dies after HPV Jab," although the report contained additional information that the woman had been taking an oral contraceptive, which the CDC thought contributed to her death. Merck spokesperson Tracy Ogden told Medscape Oncology that the company has received many comments from physicians and from groups representing patients who are concerned about recent media reports about Gardasil and the detrimental effect they may have on vaccine uptake and protection against cervical cancer. "There is a great deal of hype, lack of understanding, fear-mongering, and totally unrelated agendas surrounding this issue. It is distressing that these reports have absolutely nothing to do with objective science, and objective science is the process through which we should and must make our decisions related to the public welfare," said Maurie Markman, MD, professor of gynecologic medical oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, in Houston, who acts as an advisor to Medscape Oncology. "In any large population, there are going to be events such as death and paralysis, and it is understandable from human point of view that when tragedy strikes, people will look around for an explanation as to why it may have happened. But the fact that an event happened after vaccination does not mean that it happened because of the vaccination," Dr. Markman emphasized. Data Are "Overwhelmingly PositiveThat is why we do randomized clinical trials," he continued, "and it is very important that 2 separate large clinical-trial programs with 2 different products have come to very similar conclusions." (The other HPV vaccine, Cervarix [GlaxoSmithKline], is not available in the United States but is marketed elsewhere in the world). Dr. Markman pointed out that he has no links with either manufacturer. "The data are overwhelmingly positive that this is an extremely safe and extremely effective vaccine," he said. However, Diane Harper, MD, professor of community and family medicine/obstetrics and gynecology at Dartmouth Medical School, in Hanover, New Hampshire, and director of the Gynecologic Cancer Prevention Research Group at the Norris Cotton Cancer Center, is more circumspect. Dr. Harper, who was involved in clinical trials with both HPV vaccines, commented during an interview, "Serious adverse events reported do happen, but in small numbers of women being vaccinated, and some of these events may be so rare that they will never be directly linked to the vaccine." Dr. Harper notes that she has received money from both Merck and GlaxoSmithKline for consultation about and conducting clinical trials on the HPV vaccines. "This is a good vaccine and it is generally safe," she said. Vaccine Is Only Part of the Story However, there is also another very important part to the cervical cancer prevention story, Dr. Harper said, and that is regular Pap tests. Even women who are vaccinated need to have regular Pap testing, as otherwise they are still at risk of developing cervical cancer. And women who decide not to have the vaccine can still protect themselves by undergoing Pap testing. Dr. Harper feels this message has not been made clear to the general public and that it has been overshadowed by what she considers to be aggressive and inappropriate promotion of Gardasil. As a gynecologist dealing with the general population, her advice on the HPV vaccine is that "if you are at all concerned, then don't have the vaccine - have regular Pap smears and you will be equally protected from cervical cancer." She continued, "Whether or not to get vaccinated with Gardasil is a personal choice by each girl/woman and/or her parents." Each individual must weigh her family health history and whether it may put her at any possible risk for an adverse event that Gardasil might trigger (not even necessarily cause). As examples, Dr. Harper mentioned family history of motor neuron disease or autoimmune diseases, which could affect how the person reacts to the vaccine. She illustrated this point by saying: "Salt does not usually kill anybody, but for a person with congestive heart failure, it could lead to fatal pulmonary edema, so you could say that salt caused their death, as it was the last straw that broke the camel's back." Details of the Adverse-Events Reports Gardasil is 1 of the "most heavily studied and intensively monitored vaccines," commented John Iskander, MD, acting director of the Immunization Safety Office at the CDC in Atlanta, Georgia. So far the available data suggest that it is safe, he said in an interview, although he added that "there are no medical products, including vaccines, that are completely safe and effective.We have drawn attention to the possibly increased risk of fainting after Gardasil, again not saying that this is a property of the vaccine, and that precautions should be taken to avoid injury," he said. "But there has been nothing that has warranted a change in the recommendation for its use." Dr. Iskander has been heading the postlicensure safety monitoring of the vaccine. The CDC and FDA monitor the safety of all vaccines through the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). This system collects unconfirmed reports of events occurring after vaccination, and anyone can file such a report. As of June 30, 2008, the VAERS system had received 9749 reports of adverse events after Gardasil vaccination, of which the great majority (94%) were classified as nonserious and the remaining 6% classified as serious. Merck said that as of June 2008, it has distributed more than 30 million doses of Gardasil worldwide, including nearly 18 million doses in the United States. The company says it cannot determine the exact number of doses that have been administered, but, based on private insurance claims data and a broad estimate of public-sector use, it estimates that at least 8 million US women have received at least 1 dose. Gardasil has been available in the United States since June 2006. Dr. Iskander commented that, of the 9749 adverse events reported, the 6% to 7% serious adverse event rate for Gardasil compares with a serious adverse event rate of about 10% to 15% reported for all vaccines (including Gardasil) in the VAERS system. However, Dr. Harper counters that a direct comparison of these percentages is an invalid metric to use, as the population may not have been as motivated to report less serious events in other vaccines (eg, targeted at infants or the elderly) that have been less actively promoted, and this could artificially elevate the proportion of serious adverse events reported. The nonserious adverse event reports include syncope, pain at the injection site, headache, nausea, and fever. The agencies note in their statement that fainting is common after injections and vaccinations, especially in adolescents, and say that they have reminded immunization providers about the recommendation to watch individuals carefully for 15 minutes after vaccination. Falls after fainting can cause injury and can be prevented by keeping the individual seated during the observation period, they add. This recommendation was added to the Gardasil prescribing information, and so far this is the only change that has been made to the product's labeling. The serious adverse event reports were death, Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), and thromboembolic disorders. Most of the individuals in whom thromboembolic disorders have been reported already had risk factors such as the use of oral contraceptives, which are known to increase the risk of clotting, the agencies comment. Incidence of Guillain-Barré Syndrome GBS occurs spontaneously in the general population, and Dr. Iskander noted that there is a baseline occurrence of this disorder among adolescents of about 1 to 2 per 100,000 persons per year. The CDC and FDA say the available data do not suggest an association with the vaccine: "To date, there is no evidence that Gardasil has increased the rate of GBS above that expected in the population." Dr. Iskander said more definitive data on the incidence of GBS, as well as other adverse events, should be available within the next few months from the Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD) Project. A large, controlled study is almost complete that is comparing a vaccinated population (360,000 doses of Gardasil) and an unvaccinated population and looking at 9 very specific important outcomes, including GBS, blood clots, and seizures. "We are working feverishly to complete this study," Dr. Iskander said, "and then we will be able to say whether any of these events are occurring at a higher incidence in the vaccinated population." With circumspection, Dr. Harper added: "It is unlikely that there will ever be a statistically associated relationship between peripheral neuropathies (GBS, etc) and Gardasil because the occurrence is rare - this does not mean that Gardasil is not involved in triggering these diseases; it means that we will never have enough evidence to prove absolutely no association in any subgroup of the population." Dr. Harper noted that GBS has been associated with the meningococcal vaccine Menactra (Sanofi Pasteur). "This vaccine is no longer recommended in Canada because the incidence of GBS after Menactra is higher than the general Canadian population incidence," she commented. In the United States, promotion materials for Menactra state: "There is a potential for an increased chance of getting Guillain- Barré syndrome following vaccination." The CDC recommends meningococcal vaccine for children aged 11 to 18 years, which overlaps with the age group that is approved to receive Gardasil. "The administration of Menactra with Gardasil (on the same day, different arms) is probably not wise," Dr. Harper commented, although she added that there is no CDC contraindication against coadministration of multiple vaccines. Adverse-Event Reports on Watchdog Web Sites The actual reports collected by VAERS have been made available on the Web site of the watchdog organization JudicialWatch, which obtained the records from the FDA under the Freedom of Information Act. A compact disc containing 8864 records was sent by the FDA on June 10, 2008. JudicialWatch says the adverse event reports "read like a catalog of horrors," and it questions the safety of the vaccine, but the group also questions its efficacy in preventing cervical cancer and criticizes Merck's promotion of the product. "Given all of the questions about Gardasil, the best public health policy would be to reevaluate its safety and prohibit its distribution to minors," it says. "In the least, governments should rethink any efforts to mandate or promote this vaccine for children," JudicialWatch concludes in a special report on the vaccine, published on its Web site on June 30, 2008. The VAERS records of adverse events after Gardasil vaccination on the JudicialWatch Web site have been used by other groups to highlight concerns over safety of the product. Part of the problem stems from an ignorance about the VAERS system, says Kenneth Alexander, MD, PhD, chief of pediatric infectious disease at the University of Chicago, in Illinois. He has acted as a paid speaker for both Merck and GlaxoSmithKline, but he pointed out that he has been researching HPV since 1992, long before the vaccines came along. "There is a lack of understanding that temporal relationships do not prove causality," he said in an interview. "In scientific terms, this is a very sensitive assay, but it is entirely nonspecific. It is not designed to pick up cause-and-effect relationships, and so it picks up a lot of noncausal events." Consumer Concerns Not Assuaged Consumer concerns over safety have not been assuaged by "reassurances from the government," said Barbara Loe Fisher, cofounder of the National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC). "We have heard reassurances about safety before - for example, with the whole-cell pertussis (diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus [DPT]) vaccine in the 1980s," she said, noting that this was subsequently withdrawn and replaced by an acellular version in the United States in the 1990s. Ms. Fisher has a son whom she believes was damaged by the DPT vaccine 28 years ago, and she has worked ever since as an activist in the vaccine safety field in various capacities, including a 4-year stint as a consumer member of the FDA Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee. The NVIC, self-billed as "America's Vaccine Safety Watchdog," has also accessed VAERS reports and made them available in a searchable database on its Web site. These data show that during 2008, reports about Gardasil have accounted for 20% to 25% of all VAERS reports on all vaccines, Ms. Fisher said. "This is striking, as Gardasil isn't a mandatory vaccine while many other childhood vaccines are, but we don't know what this means." In addition, the NVIC has been running its own private vaccine reaction registry for the past 26 years, and it currently has about 140 reports on Gardasil, Ms. Fisher said. "These include reports of injury and death, and we are seeing a pattern of what we have termed 'atypical collapse,' " she commented. "These include cases where a girl suddenly passes into unconsciousness either immediately or within 24 hours of vaccination and then revives feeling weak and unable to speak properly or exhibiting other neurological signs. What we are concerned about is that girls are not aware of this possibility and could be crossing the road or driving a car and suddenly pass out." Ms. Fisher also outlined concerns about how Gardasil has been studied. She pointed out that very few of the participants in the clinical trials were aged 11 to 12 years, which is the recommended target age for the vaccine. The New York Times reported in 2006 that of the 20,000 trial participants, 1200 were younger than 16 years. Ms. Fisher added that the fact that the placebo used was aluminum based, and so the results may not give a true picture of the events associated with the vaccine, and noted the lack of any prelicensure data on administration of Gardasil simultaneously with other vaccines, in particular the meningococcal vaccine, which is targeted at a similar age range. She suggested that the vaccine was recommended for preadolescent girls prematurely. "A lot of people reading these VAERS reports are shaking the pepper shaker to try to find salt," Dr. Alexander told Medscape Oncology. He is especially concerned that a small number of people, and he mentioned specifically JudicialWatch and the NVIC, "may have another agenda and may have an axe to grind." Dealing With Safety Concerns Is Part of Patient Education Dealing with concerns over safety is part of patient education, although it can become "a little onerous to explain all of the time," said Kevin Ault, MD, associate professor of gynecology and obstetrics at Emory University, in Atlanta, Georgia, and with the Winship Cancer Institute. He has been administering Gardasil to the "catch-up" population at the university clinic and said that by the time he sees these young women, they have usually already decided that they want the vaccine, but even so, there are lots of questions about safety, some which are unfounded. For example, he has been surprised at how many times he has been asked about mercury in vaccines and autism (after publicity over the measles-mumps- rubella vaccine) and has had to explain that no vaccine in the US now contains mercury and that, anyway, autism is not a risk for an individual in their 20s. There has been a steady, low-level rate of "agitation" over the safety question for about a year now, Dr. Ault told Medscape Oncology in an interview, but he has not noticed any increase over the past month or so. His position is that the data available so far show that the vaccine is safe; the serious adverse events that have been reported are very rare, and there has been no consistent association between the vaccine and any particular serious adverse event. "It comes down to patient education," he said. Improving the Health of Young People Dr. Alexander said that reassuring about safety is only part of the story, and educating about the benefits of HPV vaccination is very important. He is a strong advocate for HPV vaccination: "Do I think this is going to prevent people from dying from cervical cancer? Absolutely. "In the end, we all want to improve the health of our young people," Dr. Alexander commented. "The question is, is HPV immunization a good way to do it? From my perspective, we have the proven benefits that these vaccines prevent HPV infections and cervical precancers. These real and proven benefits of HPV immunization must be balanced against the potential but rare and entirely unproven associations of the vaccine with serious adverse effects. As I add things up, the proven benefits far, far outweigh the theoretical, rare, and unproven risks." However, Dr. Harper said: "In developed countries where Pap screening systems have been effective for decades, the biggest value of the HPV vaccine will not be in preventing deaths from cervical cancer. The true value of the HPV vaccine will be to provide women with a greater reassurance that their future Pap screens will more likely be normal. "Pap screening is still the only proven method we have for cervical cancer prevention," Dr. Harper pointed out. "We don't know how long the vaccine will protect a woman from HPV infection, and the vaccine does not protect against all types of HPV infection that cause cervical cancer." She said that the data so far show that vaccination is effective for 5 years, but it is still unknown whether boosters may be needed. Gardasil protects against 4 types of HPV, 2 of which are responsible for about 70% of cervical cancer, and the other 2 for about 90% of genital warts. "In the end, regardless of whether a woman chooses to be vaccinated or not, the take-home message is to start and continue Pap screening throughout your life," Dr. Harper said. National Vaccine Information Center NVIC E-News is a free service of the National Vaccine Information Center and is supported through donations. NVIC is funded through the financial support of its members and does not receive any government subsidies. Barbara Loe Fisher, President and Co- founder. Learn more about vaccines, diseases and how to protect your informed consent rights www.nvic.org Make a difference SUPPORT NVIC Quick Links... VACCINE AWAKENING BLOG ARE WE OVERVACCINATING OUR CHILDREN? Vaccine Safety Bulletin STATE LAWS AND EXEMPTIONS International Memorial For Vaccine Victims Military Biodefence Vaccine Project HPV VACCINE FACTS The Doctor's Corner Stand Up and Be Counted Campaign Join our mailing list! email: news phone: 703-938-dpt3 web: http://www.nvic.org

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Pill may lead women to the wrong guy

Posted by: "Misty" misty8 mistyrainbow3

Sat Aug 23, 2008 12:15 am (PDT)

Pill may lead women to the wrong guyBy MICHAEL FOX - Stuff.co.nz | Thursday, 14 August 2008http://www.stuff.co.nz/4655703a19716.htmlEmail a Friend | Printable View | Have Your Say