DanDan
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 Posted: 09/12/07 - 07:18 Post subject: Worries over HPV vaccine still remain |
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The Gardasil vaccine, designed to protect against four strains of HPV linked to genital warts and cervical cancer, had been found to be safe. However, some adverse reactions have been reported ever since the vaccinations began and the worries remain lingering over the vaccine true safety.
Over 7 million vaccines has been distributed and about 100 adverse reactions have been reported including pain in the arm, nausea, fever and dizziness. Health experts claim that these 100 side effects are insignificant in comparison to the benefits of the vaccine and other 7 million vaccinations that caused no adverse effects.
Although 95% of the adverse reactions have been minor, another five percent developed more serious side effects. An 18-year-old girl from outside of Chicago developed Guillian-Barre Syndrome (GBS), a mysterious autoimmune disorder that causes muscle weakness and paralysis. GBS left the girl paralyzed for two months. The researchers couldn’t link this incident to Gardasil vaccine since the girl received this shot at the same time as two other vaccines. There have been other reports of GBS when HPV vaccine was received on its own or with other vaccines. A vaccine used in the U.S. against meningococcal disease, called Menactra, has been linked to GBS, in rare occasions and half of the reports reports involving HPV vaccine also involved this other vaccine. Health experts believe that these other factors were more likely to be the cause of the Guillain-Barré.
Further more, seven deaths reported in the U.S after an HPV injection. Again, the exact link to the HPV vaccine could not be established as four of the cases have been attributed to other causes while in the other three there wasn’t sufficient data to conclude the HPV vaccine was the cause.
Canadian and U.S authorities will continue to monitor side effects reported to public health authorities. For the time being, the risk versus the benefit is such that you're looking at a very rare side effects and the benefit still outweighs the risk. |
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