Even though every federal health authority say girls, ages 11 and 12, should get Gardasil, the vaccine that helps protect against cervical cancer and genital warts caused by the human papillomavirus, some mothers have been instructing their pediatricians not to give it to their daughters.
There is has been fear of the safety of something new, even though Gardasil is on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s vaccine schedule for 11- and 12-year-old girls, and is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, many parents say they’re not getting it right now for their daughters out of concern for side effects.
On the other hand, there are also mothers who won’t hesitate to get Gardasil for thier daughters. A lot of which has to do with a family history of cervical cancer.
A survey of 1,122 physicians in Texas showed that about half don’t always recommend Gardasil to parents of 11- and 12-year-old girls, even though the CDC recommends it. The survey was published earlier this month in a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. Unlike most other vaccinations, Gardasil is not required for a child to attend school.
As of 2007, the latest year for which statistics are available, 25 percent of 13- to 17-year-olds had received a dose of Gardasil, according to the CDC. we are optimistic this percentage will increase over time," says Arleen Porcell-Pharr, a spokeswoman for the federal agency. "We would like to see 100 percent adherence to the CDC schedule, [but] from previous experience, we know that it takes years for a new vaccine to gain acceptance into the market."
Some parents say they’re worried about neurological problems, blood clots and deaths that have been reported to the CDC after a woman or girl has been vaccinated with Gardasil. The vaccine is given in a series of three injections.
As of May 1, there were 13,758 reports of adverse events occurring after women and girls received Gardasil, out of the more than 24 million doses that had been given to girls and women up until that time. On its Web site, the CDC notes that these events may or may not have been caused by the vaccine.
Most of the problems, 93 percent were considered to be mild, such as headache, nausea and fever. But 7 percent involved a hospitalization, permanent disability, life-threatening illness or death. In the data, 39 deaths were reported after vaccination with Gardasil, with 26 confirmed by the agency, six under investigation, and seven unconfirmed. There was no unusual pattern or clustering to the deaths that would suggest that they were caused by the vaccine, according to the CDC’s Web site.
Gardasil, which prevents four types of human papillomavirus that cause 70 percent of all cervical cancers and more than 90 percent of genital warts, was heralded as a breakthrough when it was introduced more than three years ago by the pharmaceutical company Merck. Since the reports, Merck has added several adverse reactions to the labeling, stating that some people after receiving Gardasil have developed autoimmune diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, paralysis and seizures.
Dr. Rick Haupt, the pediatrician who leads Merck’s research on Gardasil, says the vaccine is safe and effective for 11- and 12-year-old girls. "We have good evidence that the vaccine is appropriate to use at this age," he says. He added that many countries, including the United States, recommend the shot at age 11 or 12 in hopes of getting girls vaccinated before they become sexually active, because HPV is transmitted sexually. Also, he says it’s beneficial to vaccinate children this age because their immune response is very robust.
Parents are doing research on the internet before thier daughters checkups in order to make her decision about Gardasil. Parents have concerns about the safety of the HPV vaccine for pre-adolescents, noting that a small number of girls have died or suffered neurological damage after receiving the shot. Gardasil is not without risks. Also parents are worried that not enough young girls were included in Merck’s clinical trials to warrant giving the shot to all young girls.
Merck has given the vaccine to 1,121 girls between 9 and 15 years old in clinical trials without serious side effects, according to Haupt, the Merck pediatrician. He says the company will try to continue to follow these girls for 10 years. In addition to safety concerns, Harper said she wonders whether the vaccine will still be effective for an 11- or 12-year-old after she’s become sexually active.
Gardasil is "100 percent" effective against HPV five years after vaccination, according to Haupt, and Merck is studying whether its efficacy lasts longer than that. Some parents are concerned that if they give it to their 11 year old right now, they would need a booster at age 21.
