It’s what you don’t know that could kill you! Parents we need to wake up and take another look and educate ourselves regarding this new drug “Gardasil.” If Cervical Cancer Bill HB No. 2835 is passed it will make educators spies and the Health Department police, because you can be fined and your children kept from going to school without this vaccine. Is this a drug you want mandated for your young 6th grade/11-year-old girls?
Here are some facts you need to consider: First, Merck the drug company that has come out with the serum to help prevent your girls from getting the HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) was only tested on 250 9-year-old girls, according to the American College of Pediatricians. Dr. Joseph Zangaof the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. The Merck trials only involved 1,121 girls between the ages of 9 and 15 years and that Merck studies only ranged from 2-4 years. The vaccine only lasts for approximately 5 to 7 years, then the girls will have to be given more booster shots. Therefore, giving many a false since of security.
Why give 11-year-old girls the vaccine? At age 11 when they are not sexually active will only last until they are approximately 15-18 years old. If vaccinated at age 15 will they realize when they are 22 years old that their protection is possibly gone? Especially since these are usually the years of multiple sexual partners, and they won’t be protected!
Also what will this do to their lives? Will they have false senses of protection, will they possibly have sterility issues, or reproductive problems in later years, how will their immune systems change do to this, will their babies be born without side effects or will this cause deformities? These are the questions that need to be answered, and we as parents need to come together before we let anyone mandate “fast tracked” medications to our innocent, trusting children.
Secondly, take a look at other “fast tracked” drugs from the FDA to CDC in only 3 months. Remember Vioxx — the miracle drug for arthritis sufferers. This drug had to be removed from the market because it caused heart attacks and strokes.
HB No. 2835 Bill will require all 6th grade girls to get vaccinated or they will not be permitted to attend school. This is taking your rights as a parent away from you and putting it in the hands of the government and large drug companies, who don’t care about us or our children, who accept some losses as “necessary casualties,” and care more about the bottom line — “The Almighty Dollar.”
If we let them trespass on our rights as a parent we are setting a very dangerous precedent for having the medical decisions of our children taken from us.
I hope that “Gardasil” is the answer to cervical cancer, but, we need more research.
How will vaccine react with current medications child may be taking? How will it interact with other illnesses the child may have? Did you know that if your child has severe allergies, bronchial asthma, chronic dizziness, recurrent yeast infections or a high fever they should not receive the vaccine because it could be life threatening?
This law once in place will be just like the DPT injections your babies must have to attend school. The cost is about $360 per injection. Does this include the doctors fee or just the purchase of the injection? This will cost tax payers millions of dollars.
We as parents must take the responsibility of educating ourselves and our children. Don’t let the government and large corporations dictate to you regarding your beloved children. We as parents know the maturity level of our children, physically, mentally, emotionally, and must be the ones to present the information regarding sex and its consequences to our children. We can’t let their innocence be taken away too soon! We as parents must closely monitor our children’s activities at all times and reinforce family values, abstinence, and make informed decisions regarding vaccinations. We need to inform our children when they are age appropriate about other diseases that can be sexually transmitted and also fatal. STD’s should be taught to our children as early as 12-13 years old, but it should be the parents responsibility not the governments. Parents need to be in control of their child’s welfare.
Finally, for or against, call your legislators, go to Charleston and see them, find out when Judiciary committee will be meeting as a group, and be there! To report any side effects call CDC (Centers for Disease Control) 1-800-232-4636.
I wrote a letter to Chairman Carrie Webster in Charleston requesting a public hearing on HB 2835, Mandatory Bill-Compulsory Immunization of school children (6th grade/9 year old girls) on Merck Drug Company vaccine for cervical cancer, “Gardasil.”
I have a group of concerned parents who are totally against this bill. We are very concerned and ask to be notified as soon as possible when the public hearing is scheduled.
Rachel Belcher
Princeton
Letters to the Editor
February 26, 2007
‘Gardasil’ should not be mandatory
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