Latest interview with lead Gardasil (cervical cancer vax) developer, Diane Harper

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Dr. Diane Harper Tells the Truth About Gardasil® Part I - Gardasil, cervarix, truth about gardasil

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Dr. Diane Harper Tells the Truth About Gardasil® Part I

Richmond, Virginia, United States of America (Free-Press-Release.com) February 7, 2011 --

When even one of the developers of a vaccine recognizes and discloses its dangers and limitations, shouldn't the FDA and CDC listen?

Truth About Gardasil recently had the opportunity to discuss Gardasil®, the HPV vaccine manufactured by Merck Pharmaceuticals, with one of its lead developers, Dr. Diane Harper. In this first installment of our interview, Dr.Harper sets the record straight on several questions surrounding this supposed "miracle vaccine".

Harper, a Medical Doctor who is internationally known as a clinician and researcher, also earned a Master's Degree in Public Health (MPH). She is probably most well known for her role in the development of Gardasil® and in the readying of this vaccine for its public release. She helped in every phase from recruiting trial participants to providing medical care during the trial to collecting specimens and interpretation of the final data.

There has been much controversy and debate about Gardasil® from its very beginning. Questions have been raised not only about its safety, but also the advertisements and marketing plan by Merck. Gardasil® started out being marketed to young women ages 9 to 26, as cervical cancer prevention in the "One Less" campaign. According to neontommy.com, Merck won awards for this by "creating a market out of thin air". Since then, the FDA has granted approval to not only market it to boys of the same age range, but has given permission to add anal cancer to the list of diseases that Gardasil® can prevent. . See Gardasil's Marketing Raises Ethical Issues
Gardasil's Marketing Raises Ethical Issues | Neon Tommy


Harper says, “It has been a plan for Merck from the beginning". When we asked her about this she stated, “Unfortunately, the FDA has given Merck a blanket approval to use Gardasil® in males and females 9-26 years old without making it clear to parents or males/females that the only data for male cancer preventions is in MSM (gay men) NOT in heterosexual men". She goes on to say, "For men who have sex with men, there is a benefit to using Gardasil in the prevention of anal intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 and 3. However, in the case of heterosexual men, this was never tested, and there is no penile cancer prevention seen in heterosexual men".

Harper also tells us that for people who have a current diagnosis of HPV , "Neither Gardasil® nor Cervarix® will cure or treat the current HPV, so there is no reason to vaccinate for current disease. A previous diagnosis of HPV does not preclude the use of one of the vaccines - data show similar efficacies in those with past HPV as those who are HPV naive. The reasons for adverse reactions are not clear. There is a remote immune hypothesis that someone with a large HPV infection may react poorly to a HPV vaccine, but this is hypothetical and theoretical".

When we asked Harper about these adverse reactions, and if there was a chance specifically of developing auto-immune conditions, she said, "After getting Gardasil®, yes". The question about whether people with an auto- immune condition were excluded from the trials, Harper stated , "Getting an autoimmune disease from a vaccine is very different than having an autoimmune disease first and then being vaccinated. Gardasil®/Merck is now undertaking trials to vaccinate women with auto immune diseases".

We questioned her further about the risks versus benefits of the HPV vaccines, and how long these "benefits" would last, as well as her infamous statement, "A pap smear never harmed anyone". The answers to those questions and many more will appear in the next segment on our conversation with Dr. Diane Harper.

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One-in-four girls ignoring cervical cancer vaccine | Herald Sun

Please post your comments for the article on the HS website, I just did!

One-in-four girls ignoring cervical cancer vaccine

Marianne Betts From: Herald Sun March 01, 2011 6:00AM 6 comments

A QUARTER of young girls are forsaking a life-saving cervical cancer vaccine because of ignorance.

Two studies suggested an alarming lack of knowledge was to blame for many girls aged 12-13 not taking up the vaccine, Cancer Council spokeswoman Kate Broun said.

The Gardasil jab, which protects against two strains of the human papillomavirus, which cause 70 per cent of cervical cancers, is provided free to schoolgirls under a Federal Government program.

Of the nearly 3000 year 10 and 12 students interviewed in one study, only a third had even heard of the virus, while more than half did not know it was sexually transmitted, and nearly two-thirds were not aware that it caused cervical cancer.

Given the low levels of knowledge in older schoolgirls, it would be even less in those aged 12-13 who were deciding whether to have the vaccine, Ms Broun said.

The second study found parents knew little about the vaccine, with many unsure whether their daughter should have it.

Some parents did not trust medical experts who favoured the vaccine and were concerned it "condoned" early sexual activity, despite evidence to the contrary.

Infection was common, and typically had no symptoms, but it could have very serious consequences which was why the vaccine was so important, Ms Broun said.

"These research findings suggest that knowledge about HPV and this vaccine ... is really quite low among teenage girls and their parents," she said.

With a better understanding of the serious consequences of HPV infection and vaccination, parents would be far more likely to give consent for it, she said.

The Gardasil vaccine was a major leap forward, and, if all eligible girls were vaccinated, 70 per cent of cervical cancers would be
eradicated.

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Wow, its everywhere today, looks like they decided to target Australia for a bit of profit drive.... please do your research!!!!! Just goes to show you how many big businesses and orgs are vested in this - you need to take care of yourself and do your own research ALWAYS as there is such a massive financial vested interest that its not going to go down so easy.

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1...est-from-wire/

Cancer Council to dispel Gardasil myths
01 March 2011 | 07:00:00 AM | Source: AAP

Health authorities aim to administer the Gardasil vaccine before sexual activity begins, to maximise its effectiveness. (AAP)
A quarter of Australian girls eligible for the free Gardasil vaccine are not taking up the offer, prompting a move to dispel the "myths" surrounding the cancer-fighting jab.

Studies into the vaccine's uptake in schools reveal a poor understanding of the way it protects against cervical cancer, says Cancer Council Australia spokeswoman Kate Broun.

Some parents are also put off by their pubescent daughters being offered a vaccine targeting a sexually transmitted infection when the girls are only 12 or 13 and far from being sexually active.

"For some parents that has been a concern and it is a reason they have not consented to the vaccine," Ms Broun said on Monday.

"But I guess we would say there is no evidence to suggest that a girl who has been vaccinated has gone on to have sex earlier, or have any more sexual partners, than a girl who has not been vaccinated."

"Perhaps that is a fear for some parents but it is not a fear backed by the evidence."

Health authorities aim to administer the Gardasil vaccine before sexual activity begins, to maximise its effectiveness.

The vaccine protects against four strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV), which are sexually transmitted and can cause genital warts more immediately or cervical cancer later in a woman's life.

With good take-up in the community, it could reduce the nation's future incidence of cervical cancer by 70 per cent and cut cases of genital warts also by 90 per cent.

Other research has shown around half of teenage girls were unaware that HPV was sexually transmitted, while two out of three did not know of its link to cervical cancer.

Cancer Council Australia is on Tuesday launching a new website (found at HPV and the cervical cancer vaccine) with the aim of boosting awareness and providing more information to parents.

The launch coincides with the latest round of Gardasil vaccinations in schools, and parents may have already received the relevant consent forms.

Ms Broun said there were also cases where parents had changed their mind after opting out of the free vaccine, only to find Gardasil costs $450 to obtain through a doctor.

"If we can encourage as many girls as possible to have the vaccine it will have a dramatic future health benefit for Australia," she said.

"The dream is to eradicate cancer by immunising people against a virus that we know causes cancer ... hopefully we can dispel some of those myths and provide parents with the information they need."