An estimated 80% of the population carries the HPV virus, and approximately 20% of the carriers experience symptoms. There are over 100 strains of the virus, and 4 have been implicated in causing cervical cancer. But, according to the US National Cancer Institutes, there is no actual proof that HPV directly causes cervical cancer, and it is possible to have cervical cancer without being infected with HPV.
Thanks to the invention of the Pap smear, cervical cancer has become an easily detected (and prevented) form of cancer. Yearly paps prevent cervical cancer by detecting dysplasia - the aberrant cell growth that precedes cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is a very rare form of cancer that is easily treated. Last year in the US, 10,000 cases resulted in 3,700 deaths from this disease.
Now a bit about the Gardasil vaccine being marketed to prevent cervical cancer:
- At $380, it is the most expensive vaccine ever developed
- It doesn’t treat HPV, so those who are already infected get no benefit from receiving the vaccine
- 1 out of 3 women who receive the vaccine will receive no benefit whatsoever as the 4 viral strains present in the vaccine only account for 70% of cervical cancer cases
- During testing, adverse reactions to the vaccine occurred in 90% of test subjects within 15 days
- It caused serious side effects in the trial group: pelvic inflammatory disease, appendicitis, asthma, and arthritis
- Gardasil contains aluminum, a known neurotoxin that can cross the blood brain barrier and lead to longterm inflammation, chronic fatigue, and chronic pain in the joints and muscles
So, given all of this, why did they even make a vaccine for HPV? Good question. Well the “they” is Merck, and perhaps they are trying to recover some of the billions that were lost when Vioxx was taken off the market after killing or seriously injuring tens of thousands of people.
For more information about this, please see:
http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=14401
