Cervarix Didn't Cause British Girl's Death

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"Cervarix and Gardasil are the same thing. You could change one small diluent and patent another brand name product, even though the active drug is the same". WRONG. As a pharmacist you should know this, as a consumer I know this simply by reading the product data sheets (the healthcare professional version of the consumer medicine information). Both vaccines are manufactured by distinct and competing pharmaceutical companies so your claim that both are the same, just packaged differently to make more money is also wrong.
Here's a link for a bit more detail on the facts and fallacies around the "girl dies from Cervarix story" http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/oct/10/ben-goldacre-cervical-cancer-jab

tkw 11:52PM October 13, 2009

I have read that certain vaccines may contain arsenic, lead, and mercury. For the most part, mercury is in Thimerosal, a preservative in vaccines, and Thimerosal has been linked to autism although pharmaceutical companies have tried to deny any connection. The other metals in vaccines possibly are linked to various neurological disorders. How can pregnant women be vaccinated against swine flu without their offspring being born with autism and/or other neurological disorders? Think about it.
Surely the metals need to be removed from vaccines, and there should be much more testing before mass marketing the vaccines.

Sheila Beers of IN 7:37PM October 12, 2009

Yeah, sure it didn't. All you have you to do read the MANY side-effects of this poison. I'm blaming the foolish parents for being so mindless and giving it to her. Poor kid.

Greg of IL 3:24PM October 06, 2009

Ok Mandy, why don't you come back and post here again if and when you get cancer or suffer disability from the HPV vaccine. It's very easy to talk if nothing has happened to you or someone you love. And to Morgan, we are not saying that all vaccines are bad. In fact, I happen to be a strong proponent of vaccines and feel that every mandatory vaccine out there, such as MMR, hep B, etc. are extremely important and necessary to sustain life. I'm talking here solely about the HPV vaccine, which is UNNECCESSARY to sustain life...the risks associated with it far outweigh the risk of getting cervical cancer, and as a health care professional, I strongly urge everyone to stay away from it.

sally of MT 3:34PM October 05, 2009

Wow- I'm surprised by some of these commenters and their how strongly opposed they are to vaccines and pharma companies. All I have to say is thank God we practice evidence-based medicine in this country, and not medicine based on hunches, paranoia and incomplete media driven propaganda.
It's shocking how quickly people will disregard scientifically proven data and the analyses of expert physicians and scientists within thought leading organizations like the CDC or FDA because they "have a feeling" that something is related.
Scary.

Mandy of CT 10:44PM October 04, 2009

What happened to this young girl is tragic and should not be down played in any way. My question however, after people say that even one death in close to 2 Million doses given is too many, is: What is your tolerance for infant mortality, then? How many young women or children are you comfortable with dying from preventable diseases? 1 in 1000? 1 in 100?
The answer generally is ZERO. Especially when you consider the fact that we in developed countries wait and plan for one or two children in our lifetime. We pin all of our hopes and dreams on them, but refuse to give them the tools we received to remain healthy.
What do you think the EU and US would look like without vaccines? The infant mortality rate would be the same as any other developing country.
We are all just suffering from the delusions of our own immunologic success; however, we are not going to have to be the ones to pay for it. Our grandchildren, the children of these unimmunized babies, will.

Morgan of CA 9:23PM October 02, 2009

Your readers may be interested in the book “The HPV Vaccine Controversy: Sex, Cancer, God and Politics” authored by Shobha S. Krishnan, M.D, Barnard college, Columbia University. It is available at amazon.com and Barnes and Noble .com and is written without the influence of any pharmaceutical company or special interest groups. The book educates both professionals and the public about HPV infections, the diseases they cause and the role/ controversies surrounding the new vaccines. The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA, June 17th 2009) calls the book superb and a terrific contribution to the field. Link to the book: http://www.greenwood.com/catalog/C35011.aspx

Annon of CT 7:18PM October 02, 2009

Actually, to the previous commenter, Cervarix and Gardasil are the same thing. You could change one small diluent and patent another brand name product, even though the active drug is the same. People do this for something called money, in case you've never heard of it. I mean seriously, you can't possibly be ignorant enough not to realize this, can you? And btw I'm a pharmacist, not a "silly, mathematically illiterate" indivicual...though I'm not really sure how math has anything to do with this...lol some people really need to think before they speak.

Sally of MA 3:33PM October 02, 2009

I am glad this incident doesn't implicate Cervarix, but on what scientific and mathematical basis can you write that this should install MORE trust in Cervarix?
And since Cervarix is NOT Gardasil and they are different enough to both be patented, why should this incident that says NOTHING about Cervarix say ANYTHING about Gardasil?
Are you always such a silly, mathematically illiterate, or agenda driven individual?

Name goes here of AZ 2:09PM October 02, 2009

"There is no indication that the HPV vaccine, which she had received shortly before her death, was a contributing factor to the death, which could have arisen at any point," Dr Caron Grainger, joint director of public health for the Coventry area where Natalie died said in a statement.
I got a frickin idea, why doesn't Dr. Grainger go get a dose of that safe batch of Cervarix out of the GlaxoSmithKline incinerator, before they destroy it, and inject it into her own 14 year old daughter if she is certain there is no "contributing factor" to Natalie Morton's death? ..... oh man I didn't mean that, she would probably do it. Seriously, I take it back, don't do it. Don't hurt your daughter. Seriously don't.
What about the other 4 girls that got sick that day immediately after getting the shot?

bensmyson of NC 9:57PM October 01, 2009