Gardasil Archives - Page 3 of 6

The Pharma Funded Promotion of HPV Vaccines

Published on January 16, 2014

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Promotional campaigns for HPV vaccines have informed women that infections from HPV-16 and -18 are the cause of most cervical cancer. However, in 2006/7 when HPV vaccination programs were implemented globally, the scientific community knew that most women do not develop cervical cancer or warts after any type of HPV infection – including HPV-16/-18. HPV infections from all sub-types are found in high frequency among women with normal cervices and cervical cancer is a rare outcome from these infections. This demonstrates that HPV infection of any sub-type (including HPV-16 and -18) is not predictive of cancer; particularly as ninety percent of HPV infections have no clinical consequences at all. It has been known for decades that environmental and lifestyle co-factors are also necessary for HPV infections to progress to cervical cancer. This is why 83% of cervical cancer occurs in the developing countries.

Does the HPV Vaccine Prevent Cervical Cancer?

The promotional campaigns for HPV vaccines have been designed and funded by the pharmaceutical companies. This vaccine has not been demonstrated to prevent cervical cancer. It was trialled against a surrogate for cervical cancer – pre-cursor lesions (grade 2/3) in 15-26 year old women – and these lesions are not predictive of cancer later in life. More than 95% of high-grade lesions (CIN 3) in young women (15-26 years) regress without treatment. In addition, the phase 3 clinical trials that tested the vaccine against pre-cursor lesions were conducted from 2003 to 2007 and were not complete when the HPV vaccine was licensed by the US Food and Drug Administration in June 2006. The vaccine was fast tracked for approval by the FDA due to industry lobbying and Merck ensured that Gardasil® was not just approved for high-risk groups. The FDA approved the vaccine for universal use in all women even though it was known that many co-factors, that were not prevalent in developed countries (Australia, USA and UK), were essential for HPV infections to progress to cervical cancer. The time frame from application to approval of the HPV vaccine by the FDA was only 6 months and 3 weeks later the CDC recommended the vaccine for use in all women.

Yet the phase 3 clinical trials to determine the safety and efficacy of this vaccine against cervical cancer were not completed until 2007. In the US, the 1986 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act removes liability from vaccine manufacturers for all design faults and negligence relating to their vaccines [1]. The US government has a no-fault compensation program that is tax-payer funded. This program removes all liability from the vaccine manufacturers and there is no onus to demonstrate that their products are safe and effective before they are implemented in the population. However, only Americans can seek compensation from the US government program. People who are harmed by HPV vaccines in other countries, such as Australia, receive no compensation from their governments.

Lobbying for HPV Vaccine Approval

Merck & Co is the manufacturer of the Gardasil® vaccine and when the medical director, Dr. Richard Haupt, was questioned about the speed with which the HPV vaccine was brought to the market he replied ‘Our hope and belief is that this is a remarkable vaccine that will have a huge impact on women’ [2]. ‘Hope’ and ‘belief’ are not the same as scientific evidence.

Politicians were lobbied and invited to receptions urging them to legislate against a ‘global killer’ [2]. Abramson, the chairman of the committee of the CDC that recommended the vaccine for all girls aged 11 or 12, stated ‘there was incredible pressure from industry and politics’ to approve this vaccine [2]. Diane Harper, a scientist involved in the development of the vaccine, agreed ‘Merck lobbied every opinion leader, women’s group, medical society, politicians and went directly to the people – it created a sense of panic that says you have to have this vaccine now’ [2]. In the US pharmaceutical companies are allowed to advertise directly to the public and the campaigns for HPV vaccines were very aggressive.

Educating Physicians about the HPV Vaccine

It was important for Merck to promote the vaccine through trusted sources and this was done by securing government reimbursement and mandates to promote the vaccine to all women, not just high-risk populations [3]. This enabled Merck to fund the professional medical associations (PMA’s) to promote the vaccine. The pharmaceutical companies supplied the medical associations with a Speaker Lecture Kit. This included ready-made presentations and letters to promote Gardasil® as a preventative for cervical cancer, even though the data was incomplete. The commercials for Gardasil® stated in small print ‘the duration of protection has not been established’ [2]. Much of the promotional material did not address the complexity of the issues surrounding the vaccine and did not provide balanced advice regarding the risks and benefits of the vaccine [3]. It was also presented in a way that obscured the involvement of pharmaceutical companies.

Doctors and nurses were recruited for an ‘Educate the Educators’ program created by the pharmaceutical companies to train health professionals to promote the vaccine. The PMA’s maintained a registry of educators and participants lectured to thousands of healthcare professionals. Hundreds of doctors were paid $4,500 per 50 minute lecture to present the information supplied by the pharmaceutical companies at Merck sponsored conferences [3]. They were also paid to attend advisory board meetings to discuss the vaccine [2]. In addition, there has also been an increase in cervical cancer awareness for patient groups financed with the help of Merck and GlaxosmithKline: often the financial support is indirect so patients are unaware that ‘expert’ advice has been paid for by the vaccine makers [2].

One of the Speaker Kit medical slides stated ‘Cervical cancer screening is described as secondary prevention identifying a precursor lesion; the HPV vaccine is primary prevention that would eliminate the cause of cervical cancer’ (Speaker Lecture Kit slide 13 in Rothman and Rothman 2009). This information is dishonest because it does not inform women that HPV alone is not sufficient to cause cervical cancer and also that there are 13+ other cancer causing strains of HPV that are not covered by the vaccine. Hence, the vaccine will not eliminate the cause of cervical cancer.

Whilst the slides acknowledged the uneven distribution of cervical cancer rates globally they did not draw attention to the risk factors that make cervical cancer a higher risk for women in developing countries. This knowledge is critical to women in determining the necessity for using this vaccine. The education campaigns emphasized the worldwide incidence of this disease whilst leaving out the risk factors for the disease and precautions about the risks of vaccines. Merck also funded the American College Health Association (ACHA) Vaccine Toolkit for clinicians [3]. This included talking points, sample e-mail messages to students and parents and sample press releases and public service announcements. At no time has the public been informed that the information they received on this vaccine was designed by pharmaceutical companies.

Protecting Population Health

The pharmaceutically funded promotional campaigns for HPV vaccines have maximized the threat of HPV infections and minimised the environmental and lifestyle co-factors that are necessary for the development of cervical cancer. The public places its trust in medical associations to provide non-biased science to health professionals for the promotion of medical products to the community. Clearly this trust has been breached in the case of HPV vaccines. At a minimum the public is entitled to be informed openly about relationships with industry and precise funding arrangements in order that they can weigh up the credibility of the information. This was an intentional deception as the pharmaceutical companies sought to present their information through trusted sources and the PMA’s condoned it.

Population health cannot be protected if there is no accountability for the health information that is supplied to doctors from industry funded research and presented to the community in the mainstream media.

About the author: Judy Wilyman MSc (Population Health), PhD Candidate University of Wollongong. More facts about HPV infections and the development of cervical cancer have been published in the Infectious Agents and Cancer Journal and can be accessed here: HPV vaccination programs have not been shown to be cost-effective in countries with comprehensive Pap screening and surgery.

References

Habakus LK and Holland M (Ed), 2011, Vaccine Epidemic: how corporate greed, biased science and coercive government threaten our human rights, our health and our children. Center for Personal Rights.
Rosenthal E, 2008, The Evidence Gap: Drug Makers Push Leads to Cancer Rise, The New York Times, August 20, accessed 21.12.09
Rothman SM and Rothman DJ, 2009, Marketing HPV Vaccine: Implications for Adolescent Health and Medical Professionalism, Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol 302, (7) p. 781 – 785.

Participate in HPV Vaccine Research

Hormones Matter^TM is conducting research on the side effects and adverse events associated with Gardasil and its counterpart Cervarix. If you or your daughter has had either HPV vaccine, please take this important survey. The Gardasil Cervarix HPV Vaccine Survey.

Hormones Matter^TM conducts other crowdsourced surveys on medication reactions. To take one of our other surveys, click here.

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Cerebellar Ataxia and the HPV Vaccine – Connection and Treatment

by Chandler Marrs, PhD

Published on November 20, 2013

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Anecdotal evidence points to a connection between Gardasil and Cervarix, the HPV vaccines, and cerebellar injury. Here, from the journal Neuropediatrics comes the first published report linking the HPV vaccine to cerebellar ataxia: Association of Acute Cerebellar Ataxia and Human Papilloma Virus Vaccine: A Case Study.

I should note, from our research we’re also seeing cases of cerebellar ataxia post fluoroquinolone reaction and related to Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. The cerebellum appears to be particularly sensitive to insult from environmental toxins – to functional mitochondrial injuries, perhaps because it collects the millions of peripheral nerves coming from the body that control sensation and movement, as they pass to higher brain centers. As such, the cerebellum demands high levels of oxygen and nutrients.

For those of our readers new to neuroanatomy, the cerebellum is the cauliflower looking section at the base of the brain that controls motor coordination – the ability to perform coordinated tasks such as walking, focusing on a visual stimuli and reaching for objects in space. The walking and balance disturbances associated with cerebellar damage or degeneration have a very distinct look, a wide gait, with an inability to walk heal to toe – very much like a drunken sailor. Videos of cerebellar ataxia can be seen here.

The Case Details: Acute Cerebellar Ataxia Post HPV Vaccine

Approximately, two weeks after receiving the HPV vacccine, Cervarix, a previously healthy 12.5 year old girl developed nausea and dizziness with severe cerebellar ataxia, tremors and nystagmus. Initial tests came back normal and she was hospitalized on day 20 post HPV vaccine. Though she could sit on her own, she could not stand or walk unaided and the nystagmus prevented her from focusing on TV, reading or other activities. She had no fever. Heel-knee-shin and finger-nose tests indicated ataxia with terminal intention tremor and dysmetria (see videos: horizontal nystagmus or here for multiple types of nystagmus, heel-knee-shin test, finger-nose test).

All blood tests, cerebral spinal fluid tests and imaging tests were normal, with the exception of testing positive for IgG and varicella zoster virus – chicken pox and shingles – indicating earlier exposure. Tumors, paraneoplastic disease, cardiovascular disease, metabolic conditions and labyrinthitis (inner ear disturbance) were all ruled out. Her symptoms did not remit as was expected with acute cerebellar ataxia.

Treatment Options for Acute Cerebellar Ataxia

Beginning on day 25 post HPV vaccine, pulsed IV methylprednisone (1000mg/d) was administered for three days. Her symptoms persisted. On day 44 post HPV vaccine, IV immunoglobulin (IVIG) at 400mg/kg was initiated and run for 5 days. Her symptoms persisted.

At day 65 post vaccine, with no indication of improvement, immunoadsorption plasmapharesis was begun at a rate of seven times per month. The physicians report a gradual improvement of the nystagmus after two treatments with a full resolution of symptoms after 19 courses of treatment (day 134 post HPV vaccine). The improvement was short-lived, however, and beginning at day 220 post HPV vaccine, the symptoms began to return, gradually at first with nystagmus, and then completely. Immunoadsorption plasmapharesis was begun anew on day 332 post HPV vaccine. After five courses of treatment, the patient’s symptoms again remitted.

Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and Cerebellar Ataxia Symptoms

Of interest, symptom severity corresponded to IgG levels. Her initial IgG levels were not reported, but after 19 treatments, when symptoms disappeared completely for the first time, her IgG levels were 354 mg/dL (day 134). When the symptoms appeared again (day 332) her IgG levels were elevated at 899 mg/dL. Upon treatment, her IgG levels dropped to 503 mg/dL as the nystagmus abated and then to 354 mg/dL upon complete remission, for the second time, at day 332 post HPV vaccine.

HPV16L and Post HPV Vaccine Reactions and Death

The researchers from this study, speculate a connection between the IgG response, and an as of yet, undetermined antibody. Testing for a variety of known antibodies were negative. Since the HPV16L is molecularly similar to certain cell adhesion molecules, enzymes, transcription factors and neural antigens, it is possible that the HPV16L particles triggered the response.

In separate studies, autopsies of girls who died suddenly post HPV vaccine have found non-degrading HPV16L particles linked to the deaths. In the first case, researchers performed secondary postmortem immunochemistry of two girls who died suddenly after receiving Gardasil. They found evidence of cerebral vasculitis linked to the HPV16L particles throughout the cerebral vasculature.

Similarly, a postmortem exam of another girl who died from the HPV vaccine, found HPV16L DNA particles in the blood and spleen. The researcher reported that the DNA fragments were found in the macrophages, and protected from degradation because of the tight binding of the HPV16L gene fragments to the aluminum adjuvant. The fragments underwent a conformational change rendering them more ‘stable’ and resistant to degredation, perhaps explaining their presence in the blood and spleen six months post vaccine. This has been contended.

Methods in both of the above studies have been controversial and questioned and should be interpreted with caution. However, researchers from Italy compared HPV16 proteome in the vaccine to the human to proteome and found 84 identical proteins involved in cell differentiation and neurosensory regulation. According to these researchers, the homology between the vaccine and the human proteome, bound to aluminum adjuvant

“make the occurrence of side autoimmune cross-reactions in the human host following HPV16-based vaccination almost unavoidable”.

Whatever the exact culprit, in this case the cerebellar ataxia was acute and temporally related to the HPV vaccine. The favorable response to immunoadsorption and consequent reduction in IgG levels, indicates an auto-immune response.

Mitochondrial Injury, Thyroid, Thiamine and Cerebellar Ataxia

With a more slowly developing cerebellar ataxia and related symptoms, it is possible a medication induced mitochondrial injury, related to a depletion of thiamine is present. Thiamine is critical for mitochondrial function. Similarly, patients have reported cerebellar ataxias related to Hashimoto’s. Generally, when testing for both thiamine deficiency and Hashimoto’s is undertaken, both are confirmed.

Final Thoughts

This report represents one of the first clear linkages between the HPV vaccine and acute cerebellar ataxia. More importantly, it suggests a treatment opportunity when caught early. With so little data available, it is not clear whether immunoadsorption would work for more chronic cases. However, there is evidence of its success in Guillian Barre, Myasthenia Gravis and other autoimmune conditions. When combined with the early data pointing to Hashimoto’s and thiamine deficiency, paths forward post injury are emerging.

Participate in Research

Hormones Matter^TM is conducting research on the side effects and adverse events associated with Gardasil and its counterpart Cervarix. If you or your daughter has had either HPV vaccine, please take this important survey. The Gardasil Cervarix HPV Vaccine Survey.

We are also conducting research adverse reactions associated with the fluoroquinolone antibiotics, Cipro, Levaquin and Avelox: The Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics Side Effects Study.

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My Son’s Gardasil Story and Thiamine Deficiency

by Michelle Kozel

Published on October 16, 2013

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On June 16^th 2012 my son complained of ear pain, so I took him to his doctor thinking he had an ear infection. He had no infection but his doctor suggested doing a physical exam since he had not been in for a couple of years. My son had just turned 18 years old three weeks prior and just graduated from high school. He was happy, healthy, and active. After the exam I was called into the room. His doctor said he was in good health and observed no problems, but since he would be going off to college in the fall, he recommended that he should receive the meningococcal vaccine along with the Gardasil vaccine. In his words, “HPV is rampant in colleges and he should have this vaccine.” This had been my son’s physician since birth, and having no prior knowledge of the Gardasil vaccine controversy, I trusted him and agreed to these two vaccines that day.

There was absolutely no discussion of possible harmful side effects.

My son did not have any immediate reactions that I can remember, but on July 30^th 2012 that all changed. We were out to lunch and when his food arrived he looked at me with a very strange look on his face and said that he just didn’t feel right, something was wrong. He could not eat that day even though he was hungry just prior. He would complain of severe stomach pain that came and went over the next few weeks.

On August 7^th 2012 he received the second dose of Gardasil. His stomach pain increased in severity, but we still did not make the Gardasil connection. Who would think that a vaccine for HPV would cause stomach aches?

Just nine days after that second injection, he felt he needed to go in and see his doctor. The pain was becoming unbearable. The doctor prescribed antacids but this only made his problem worse, so he then suggested an endoscopy. The endoscopy came back completely normal. At this point his doctor felt that his stomach pain was due to stress and anxiety because he was going off to college. The doctor suggested that he should “go talk to someone.” I knew for a fact that the pain was not in his head or simply due to stress. It was real. Now, almost a year later, and with the knowledge of the possible side effects of the Gardasil vaccine, I am very angry that his doctor did not recognize “severe stomach aches” as being one of the Gardasil side effects. How did he not connect those dots, especially given the fact that my son was in his office just nine days after receiving the second dose complaining of that very thing? This recognition would have prevented him from getting that dreadful final dose.

My son left for college and soon after began developing other symptoms, mainly extreme fatigue and brain fog. He made it through the quarter and came home for Winter break. On December 27^th he received the 3^rd and final dose of Gardasil. The very next evening he became extremely sick. All the symptoms he had been experiencing along with many others became instantly worse. I was finally able to make the Gardasil connection. Since then he has had more symptoms than I can list, sinus headaches, pain at the base of his skull, fever, chills, hair loss, vision changes, gallbladder pain/gallstones, sleep disturbances, tingling, numbness, no appetite, weight loss, anxiety, excessive thirst, salt cravings, kidney issues, liver issues, heart palpitations, slow heartbeat, fast heartbeat, dizzy, rashes, mouth sores, yeast issues, low stomach acid… the list goes on. To this day he still suffers from many of these symptoms.

What has followed are many doctors and many, many tests; most of which have come back normal with the exception of his most recent test. After reading Dr. Lonsdale’s article on thiamine deficiency and his recommendation for Gardasil injured to have a red cell transketolase blood test, I immediately requested one for my son. I researched the symptoms of thiamine deficiency and he pretty much had every single one. The test came back strongly positive. He was severely thiamine deficient.

This is where we are today. We started immediate supplementation with oral alliathiamine and we are looking into possible IV supplementation, for perhaps, a quicker, more thorough improvement. I sincerely hope that this discovery might be the key to my son finally being well again and that this devastating nightmare may finally come to an end.

Participate in Research

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Post Gardasil POTS and Thiamine Deficiency

by Derrick Lonsdale MD, FACN, CNS

Published on September 18, 2013

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On July 8th 2013, I received an e-mail from a mother of a 17-year old daughter who had received Gardasil vaccination in 2008 resulting in a severe reaction. Two weeks after the second injection she began to experience a “flu-like” episode that continued for about a week and was followed by facial swelling, streptococcal infection, double ear infection and a diagnosis of mononucleosis. It was initially concluded that this was coincidental, not due to the vaccination. From then on she suffered from Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome ( POTS), severe edema and “digestion issues which have been constant since”. POTS is a multi-symptomatic disease of the lower brain that affects many aspects of brain/body control mechanisms. She reported that “30,000 girls (and some boys) have been affected by the vaccine” and of those of which she was aware,“ the majority have POTS and trouble metabolizing sugar and carbs”.

Because of the persistent edema and digestive problems, my informant had done her own research and concluded that her daughter’s symptoms were due to thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency. She found my name in connection with this subject and requested my help. There is a blood test, known as erythrocyte (red cells) transketolase that is specific for identifying thiamine deficiency, so I suggested that this be done. It was strongly positive, proving TD. This led to the test being done on another Gardasil affected girl and this was also strongly positive. Most of the affected girls known to her had POTS. Some had mitral valve prolapse (MVP). About twenty five percent of POTS patients are disabled. The symptoms often follow a virus infection. It is one of many conditions classified as dysautonomia and this includes beriberi, long known to be due to thiamine deficiency.

Dysautonomia, often associated with MVP, affects the lower brain controls of both branches of the autonomic (automatic) nervous system (ANS) that enable our adaptation to the constant changes in environment. For example, one branch, known as the sympathetic system, accelerates the heart and the other, called the parasympathetic, slows it. We sweat when it is hot and shiver when it is cold, both automatically initiated by the sympathetic branch of the ANS.

In the early stages of beriberi the ANS is unbalanced, so that either the sympathetic or parasympathetic, normally working in synchrony, dominates the reaction, adversely affecting blood pressure, pulse rate and many other adaptive mechanisms, like POTS. It can be seen that the patient with POTS or beriberi is essentially maladapted and is unable to adjust bodily systems to meet environmental changes. Edema (swelling in parts of the body), a cardinal feature of beriberi, supported a diagnosis of thiamine deficiency in this mother’s daughter. Also, Gardasil is a yeast vaccine and an enzyme called thiaminase, whose action destroys thiamine, is known to be in the yeast. Thiaminase disease has been reported in Japan in association with dietary thiamine deficiency.

We know from the history of beriberi that exposure to the stress of ultraviolet light (sunlight) sometimes “triggers” the first symptoms of the disease when thiamine deficiency is marginal, but not severe enough to cause symptoms. Other stress factors (virus, inoculation, injury) can do the same. In effect, diet may cause an individual to be in a state of marginal vitamin deficiency. A mental or physical stress factor automatically induces a need for energy to meet this stress. If cellular energy is insufficient to drive the mechanisms by which an adaptive adjustment is required, it results in a maladaptive response.

The lower brain, where the ANS control mechanisms are situated, is particularly sensitive to thiamine deficiency, equivalent to a mild to moderate degree of oxygen deprivation. The commonest cause of thiamine deficiency in industrial nations is alcohol, but it is also known that sugar consumption will increase the need for thiamine. Beriberi has recently been reported in Japan in seventeen adolescents consuming carbonated soft drinks. The social life of adolescents may thus increase the risk from an inoculation that might otherwise be less threatening.

The statistics on sugar ingestion (150 pounds per person per year) suggests that marginal TD is common. The report of a “difficulty in metabolizing sugar and carbs” may be highly relevant. One of the questions asked by parents of the affected girls known to my informant is why did the vaccine seem to “pick off” the most intelligent and athletic individuals. The answer must be that the higher the IQ, the more is cellular energy required by the brain. Sugar, even at social levels of consumption, may be a greater risk for them.

It is important to understand that there are multiple factors that have to be taken into account in solving the cause of this disaster. The “fitness” of the individual implies her adaptive ability in biochemical terms, not her athletic or student prowess. Dietary indiscretion may or may not enter the equation and depends on individual sensitivity to food substances as well as the ratio of calories to the necessary vitamins for their processing in the body. The stress factor, the case in discussion being Gardasil, may be more or less stressful in its own right, perhaps related to batch number or commercial process. Lastly the genetics of an individual always enters the equation. These three factors, Genetics, Stress and Nutrition can be seen as three interlocking circles, all of which overlap at the center. Each circle must be evaluated in its contribution to the ensuing result.

Publications and resources from Dr. Lonsdale:

Resources for Understanding Thiamine Deficiency

Molecular Mechanism of Thiamine Utilization

Participate in Research

Hormones Matter^TM is conducting research on the side effects and adverse events associated with Gardasil and its counterpart Cervarix. If you or your daughter has had either HPV vaccine, please take this important survey. The Gardasil Cervarix HPV Vaccine Survey.

To take one of our other Real Women. Real Data.^TM surveys, click here.

To sign up for our newsletter and receive weekly updates on the latest research news, click here.

Marketing the HPV Vaccines to Prevent Cervical Cancer

by Judy Wilyman, MSc

Published on September 17, 2013

12244 views

HPV vaccines have been promoted to the public as a ‘vaccine to prevent cervical cancer’ (a non-infectious disease) yet these vaccines have never been demonstrated to prevent any cervical cancer. Six years after the HPV vaccine was implemented globally, Ian Frazer, the Australian inventor of the vaccine, stated ‘HPV vaccines may prevent cervical cancer.’ This is why the health department only refers to this vaccine as an ‘HPV vaccine’. In 2007 when the vaccine was approved for all women in many countries it was also known that there were 15 plus high-risk HPV strains that were associated with causing cervical cancer. Yet the HPV vaccine, Gardasil®, only covered 2 strains that were associated with cervical cancer – HPV 16 and 18 – the other 2 strains in the vaccine were associated with causing genital warts. This means there are 13 other high-risk HPV strains that are not covered in the Gardasil® vaccine and this is why vaccinated women will still require regular Pap screening.

Low Risk for Cancer

Women were also not informed that an infection with HPV is harmless and does not cause disease – cancer or warts – unless other co-factors are also present. These co-factors are not prevalent in developed countries. This is why Ian Frazer stated in 2005 ‘80-90% of cervical cancer occurs in the developing countries’. Not countries like Australia, Europe and the US. These countries have a low risk of cervical cancer. In Australia the death rate to cervical cancer when the vaccine was introduced in 2007 was 1.7 women /100,000. Pap screening combined with surgery is effective (9 out of 10 cancers) in detecting and preventing cervical cancer – and Pap screening will still be needed by vaccinated women. This means that it is not cost-effective for governments to be subsidizing the HPV vaccine when we already have an effective detection and prevention (surgery) in place that is virtually risk free.

HPV is Common

HPV is a common infection in all women. 80% of healthy women will have an HPV infection during their lifetime but this is harmless unless the co-factors are present that are necessary for the development of disease. In a developed country the risk of dying from cervical cancer is 0.25% but in developing countries it is 1.5%. Whilst the pharmaceutically funded marketing campaign informed women of the high incidence of HPV infection (80%) in women it did not inform women that the majority of these women are not at risk of developing cervical cancer or warts. The Australian Government states that the majority of women with an HPV infection are not at risk of cervical cancer.

This means that a drug has been recommended to all women but the majority of these women are not at risk of disease. However, many are now at risk from the side-effects of the vaccine. The government has not reduced the risk of disease with this policy but possibly increased the risk – at great expense. HPV vaccines are the most expensive vaccine on the market – $Au450 – yet the risks and benefits of this vaccine are still undetermined. The clinical trials had not been completed when the vaccine was approved for the market by the FDA in 2006. The safety of this vaccine has never been established.

The HPV vaccine had not been tested using an inert placebo in the unvaccinated group. The Merck funded clinical trial used aluminium adjuvant as the placebo in the unvaccinated group – this is a substance that is linked to causing autoimmune diseases and hypersensitivity. Comparing the vaccinated group to a group that is given aluminium adjuvant does not provide information on the harm this vaccine will cause in healthy people. The most frequent adverse reactions caused by this vaccine are neurological reactions such as seizures, convulsions, paralysis, tics, encephalopathy and thyroiditis. Many deaths have also been linked to the vaccine.

There were 21,265 adverse events reported to the US FDA and CDC alone up to September 2012. Many of these included permanent chronic illness and death. In 2013 the governments of India and Japan are no longer recommending this vaccine to the community.

This vaccine has only been trialled by the manufacturer of the vaccine, Merck, and it was promoted to the public by a campaign that was designed and funded by the manufacturer of the vaccine. In 2006 Merck won the ‘Brand of the Year’ for Gardasil® for creating a market out of thin air for this vaccine.

For the full report published in Infectious Agents and Cancer: HPV vaccination programs have not been shown to be cost-effective in countries with comprehensive Pap screening and surgery. Judy Wilyman’s research is being presented at the University of Wollongong, Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts, School of Social Sciences, Media and Communication.

Participate in Research

Hormones Matter^TM is conducting research on the side effects and adverse events associated with Gardasil and its counterpart Cervarix. If you or your daughter has had either HPV vaccine, please take this important survey. The Gardasil Cervarix HPV Vaccine Survey.

To take one of our other Real Women. Real Data.^TM surveys, click here.

To sign up for our newsletter and receive weekly updates on the latest research news, click here.

Post Gardasil Dysautonomia: Nina’s Story

by Francine Pugliese

Published on September 16, 2013

10466 views

Our story begins in late May of 2007. I took my daughter Nina to the pediatrician for her 12 year old checkup. During the visit the doctor proposed that I have Nina receive the first vaccine of Gardasil. I immediately told him that I was not well informed about this new vaccine. He reassured me that it was fine and better to get it while she was young. I trusted my doctor. As we left the office, I had this strange feeling come over me. I started to question myself about my decision to allow the doctor to administer a vaccine that was new to the industry. My daughter was 12 years old and what was the rush to protect her against a sexually transmitted disease? Maybe it was mother’s intuition, but I suddenly felt sick to my stomach.

The Early Signs of Illness Post Gardasil

In early July, Nina started complaining of her hair falling out. Nina is beautiful Italian with long thick brown hair. As a mother of three, and Nina being the youngest, I often play down any medical concerns of my children until I see a true problem. I put her to ease by telling her that with her amount of hair it is common to see more of it in the shower or on the bathroom floor.

Over the next few weeks Nina started to complain of flu like symptoms. She would wake up very fatigued and nauseous. The symptoms were intermittent, but becoming more regular as the weeks passed. I did start to notice an abundance of her hair on the bathroom floor. I was becoming concerned. By August, her complaints were becoming more severe. I took her to the local Med Express and they told me she was very dehydrated and they administered IV fluids. Nina felt great and I felt relief.

The next morning, the symptoms returned. She missed the first week of the new school year. The next week I started driving her to school because she was too sick to get on the bus. The school was only five minutes away but by the time we got there she was already too sick to get out of the car. My first thoughts were maybe she was having some type of anxiety about her seventh grade. It did not make sense to me. Nina was a very active child who was always laughing and playing with friends. Her relentless love of basketball always kept her on the go. She played on three different teams.

A Mother’s Intuition

She tried to muddle her way through the first semester of school, but was losing the battle. She was becoming ill at all times of the day. She would sleep on the bathroom floor hoping not to vomit one more time. I made repeated visits to the pediatrician’s office and pleaded with them to help our child. Thoughts were running through my head as to why she became ill so suddenly. Then I remembered my mother’s intuition moment and realized our world began to change after the Gardasil vaccine. The pediatrician was in agreement that we would not proceed with the second dose of the vaccine due to Nina’s illness.

Searching for Help

The next year was filled with illness, doctor’s appointments, diagnostic tests, multiple medications, multiple diagnoses, and many, many disappointments. We were told she was suffering from, Vestibular hypo function, Meniere’s disease, tonsillitis, and last but not least, a mental illness.

My husband and I were baffled. No matter what medicine the doctor’s prescribed for our daughter, her illness continued to invade her body and turn our worlds upside down. We finally caved in and took her to see a psychologist. The psychologist commended Nina for dealing with this confusing illness in such an adult manner. She reassured us that Nina seemed well adjusted and saw no reason for any type of treatment. How could our healthy child who played basketball 24/7 and aspired to play basketball in college dwindle down to a chronically sick child who was now on home bound study with no social life? Most of her friends drifted away as her illness seemed invisible to them, as there was no visible signs such a blood spouting from an artery.

We then decided that the traditional medical community was not helping so we decided to try a naturopathic route. We were told it was coming form an adrenal problem and were given vitamins, detoxifying foot baths, and massage therapy know as Reiki. All were complementary, but did not give her any long term relief.

Time marched on and in April of 2009 we stumbled across the television show Mystery Diagnosis. This particular episode was describing Nina exactly. This was the first time I had ever heard the word dysautonomia. I immediately went to the internet to research this illness. I found no specialists in the Pittsburgh area. I began calling every specialist within the United States and faxed all of Nina’s medical information to their offices. We took the first available appointment from the first specialist to return our call.

Finally a Diagnosis: Dysautonomia

Nina was finally diagnosed with dysautonomia by Dr. Hassan Abdallah at The Children’s Heart Institute in Reston, Virginia. As sad as it may sound, we were delighted to finally have a name for her illness. The pieces of the puzzle were starting to come together. Dr. Abdallah started her on blood pressure medication, followed by a vasoconstrictor medicine, followed by a medicine used for people with Attention Deficit Disorder. These medicines all help push more blood to the heart and brain, thus making her illness less violent. Typically, people with dysautonomia do not perform well in the morning. It takes hours for their bodies to function and begin their day. Even though we had a diagnosis for Nina, we still could not get her back to functioning like a teenager. We continued our battle by getting a second and third opinion from The Cleveland Clinic and Case Western Medical Center. It was at Case Western that a doctor finally admitted that they had seen an increase in dysautonomia since the Gardasil vaccine was introduced.

She also takes melatonin to sleep at night. She constantly has issues with low Vitamin D which requires a prescription dose of the vitamin periodically. She takes an anti-nausea medicine as needed. She has recently been diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) and insulin resistance. She combats all this by pushing herself to exercise with a trainer who specializes in strength and heart rate monitoring.

I have researched Gardasil and the facts against it are astounding.

Why would the FDA place a vaccine on their fast tract program (which means it only requires six months of research) if this vaccine was being administered to little girls?
Why are there over 2000 class action lawsuits against the manufacturers because of debilitating side effects and even death?
Why do the manufacturers constantly ignore the facts of websites such as Truthaboutgardasil.org?
Do they really think that all these people are just complainers and really don’t want to have a normal life?

We are currently seeking information about a new procedure called Transvascular Autonomic Modulation. It is an invasive procedure where they feed a catheter through the jugular vein and stretch the nerve fibers near the vagal nerve. This is said to reset the autonomic nervous system, thus giving patients relief of symptoms. It does have a 75% success rate. It is only performed by an interventional radiologist in California.

Six Years Post Gardasil

Nina was on the home bound program for high school. She never got to play on her high school basketball team. She never got to attend any proms. Regardless of the adversity she faces, she managed to graduate with a 4.0 GPA. She now attends the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg as a full time student. She struggles through each and every day with the perseverance of a soldier. Her strength and relentless integrity to live her dreams inspires everyone who has the pleasure of knowing her. The light at the end of the tunnel is that most people with dysautonomia will out-grow it. The doctors agree that Nina’s case is severe and it may be much longer before she gets relief from most symptoms.

Lessons Learned From Gardasil

Gardasil has taught us some valuable lessons. First, never think your doctor knows everything. They are human. They work for you. If you have questions, never stop asking until you are satisfied. Always trust your gut feelings or mother’s intuition. We are better people because of this illness. We no longer take life for granted. Our days of long hours at the gym watching basketball games and striving for the most points and the biggest scholarship have been traded in for a day of no pain or a friend who cared enough to spend some time doing nothing with Nina just because she is a fun person when her symptoms simmer down. Never judge a person with an invisible illness. Everybody carries some type of a burden in their life. Lastly and most important, we trust God has a plan and we will continue the battle until his will we be done.

Participate in Research

Hormones Matter^TM is conducting research on the side effects and adverse events associated with Gardasil and its counterpart Cervarix. If you or your daughter has had either HPV vaccine, please take this important survey. The Gardasil Cervarix HPV Vaccine Survey.

To take one of our other Real Women. Real Data.^TM surveys, click here.

To sign up for our newsletter and receive weekly updates on the latest research news, click here.

Anti-NMDAR Encephalitis and Ovarian Teratomas

by Chandler Marrs, PhD

Published on September 10, 2013

5931 views

In 2005 researchers began documenting the existence of a new form of encephalitis, a brain disease that afflicts predominantly young women (80%) and children and attacks a critical set of brain receptors, the N-methyl-D-aspatate receptors (NMDAR). The disease, called Anti-NMDAR Encephalitis, produces a syndrome that over the course of several weeks to months progresses from flu-like symptoms, to psychosis, to catatonia, to the ICU and the need for mechanical ventilation. It is treatable, when identified in a timely manner, but because of the physiological importance of the receptor it attacks, if not treated in time or treated sufficiently, anti-NMDAR encephalitis can be fatal. Interestingly, there is an important connection to ovarian health that makes this disease process particularly relevant to women – 60% of the cases present with ovarian teratomas.

NMDA Receptors and Brain Function

NMDA receptors are the brain’s and the indeed the body’s primary mechanism through which activity is initiated. NMDARs are excitatory receptors that bind with glutamate, the excitatory neurotransmitter. NMDARs, along with the AMPA receptor (α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid), a secondary excitatory receptor regulate all brain excitation. These receptors are located all over the brain, but are especially dense in the hippocampus, where learning and memory occur, and the frontal and prefrontal regions where planning, motivation, impulse control and emotional regulation take place.

NMDARs are also dense in subcortical regions, where all sorts of functions involving movement control, motivation and emotionality are controlled and in the brainstem, the region at the base of your brain where a set of nuclei called the medulla oblongata reside. The medulla oblongata control heart rate, respiration and vomiting reflex. Impair the functioning of the medulla oblongata by injury, by reducing NMDARs or even by alcohol poisoning, sedative or pain killer overdose, and heart rate and respiration will slow to a stop, until death becomes imminent.

Too much glutamate-NMDAR activity and seizures ensue. This is because brain’s major inhibitory neurotransmitter called GABA becomes ineffective at reducing brain excitation. Reduce glutamate/NMDAR activity and the perception of pain is also be reduced, but with far too many side-effects to make NMDAR antagonist likely therapeutics. Conversely, too little glutamate and NMDAR activity also will lead to seizures, psychosis, and even, cell death. It’s a complex balance between brain excitation and brain inhibition that must be maintained. When that balance is disrupted, serious illness occurs.

What is Anti-NMDAR Encephalitis?

As far as scientists can tell, anti-NMDAR encelphalitis begins with an illness, sometimes a virus or a vaccine, and in 60% of cases, an ovarian teratoma, that causes the body to have an immune reaction against the NMDA receptors. The immune reaction elicits the production of an antibody that tells certain types of NMDARs to involute into the cell so that they are no longer active. From the cases thus far, the disease process follows the path of the receptors attacked. It appears to begin in the frontal and temporal cortices and progress to the deeper brain regions and subcortical structures until it reaches the brain stem and mechanical ventilation is required. Flu like symptoms emerge first, hence the belief that the disease is triggered by illness, medication or vaccine. The flu-like symptoms are then followed by a memory deficits and rapid disintegration into psychosis, paranoia, delusions, hallucinations. Sometimes seizures occur, sometimes they do not. If untreated, within a period of weeks, the afflicted individual lands in ICU requiring mechanical ventilation. The mortality rate is approximately 4% and the median time from disease onset to death is 3-5 months. When treatment is initiated, the recovery process mirrors the disease onset stages, though in reverse. Recovery can take years.

The Connection between Anti-NMDAR Encephalitis and the Ovaries

One of the many striking components of this disease is the co-morbid presentation of ovarian teratomas, in 60% of the cases. Teratomas, sometimes referred to as dermoid cysts, are a unique type of tumor that contain germ cells that can grow into brain or nervous tissue, glands, fat, and even skin, teeth and hair. It is not uncommon for teratomas to have teeth or hair. Treatment and indeed survival of anti-NMDAR encephalitis is predicated upon tumor removal, in most cases.

Ovarian teratomas represent an error in germ cell division; germ cells being those cells handed down at birth from our parents that contain the genetic materials needed to form ovarian follicles (eggs) for women, sperm cells for men. The germ cells are pluripotent and contain all the ingredients to make skin, gland and other tissue, hence the nervous tissue, hair, nails and other components found in these tumors. Typically germs cells divide in a logical sequence that eventually results in oocyte, an egg, that will then become fertilized or not. In some women (and men), the cell division progresses unconventionally, producing the teratoma. In part, the teratoma develops as a result of epigenetic factors including the health and environmental exposures of our parents, even our grandparents. In utero exposures to medications, vaccines and other toxins can cause errors in germ cells, and as a result, many individuals are born with these errors, but not all are triggered. Germ cell division is very highly environmentally influenced suggesting that exposures later in life can trigger errors in germ cell development, as in a teratoma.

The Connection between Teratomas and Anti-NMDAR Encephalitis

What does an ovarian teratoma have to do encephalitis? Researchers don’t know for sure, but think that because the teratomas express nerve cells with NMDA receptors, when the immune system recognizes the teratoma as foreign and begins to attack, it also attacks brain NMDARs, mistakenly so. What they have observed is that if the teratoma is not removed, survival is difficult. They have also observed that in cases where no teratoma is found, recovery is more complicated and arduous than in cases where the teratoma is found and excised.

Symptoms of Anti-NMDAR Encephalitis

Approximately, 70% of cases begin with flu-like symptoms that include: headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and upper-respiratory symptoms. Within a few days to two weeks, this progresses to psychiatric and cognitive symptoms that include everything from anxiety and insomnia to hallucinations, delusions, mania, memory deficits, delirium, language difficulties to frank mutism. This is followed by autonomic instability (heart rate, blood pressure and temperature instability, incontinence), alternating periods of agitation and catatonia, oral/facial tics, limb jerking, posturing. Motor and complex seizures may develop, including status epilepticus (continuous seizures), coma can occur and mechanical ventilation is required to maintain breathing. In all cases, hospitalization is required during the acute phase, which can last 3-4 months. During the recovery phase, which can last many more months, hospitalization and/or direct supervision may also be required because of an on-going need for nocturnal ventilation assistance and also because of a unique dis-inihibition of frontal cortex functioning with high degrees of uncontrolled, impulsive behavior.

Diagnosing Anti-NMDAR Encephalitis

Diagnosing anti-NMDAR encephalitis is difficult because many of the traditional first line tests come back negative. Brain MRIs are normal in 50% of patients and mostly normal or only transiently abnormal in the remaining patients. This is in direct contrast to the severity of the patient’s illness. Brain biopsies are also unremarkable. The electrical activity of the brain is often abnormal with electroencephalograms (EEG) showing slow, non-specific and disorganized activity in general, with electrographic seizure and/or rhythmic delta-theta activity during catatonia, but this pattern not necessarily solely indicative of anti-NMDAR encephalitis. Blood tests for the anti-NMDAR antibodies also are often not indicative of the illness. From the research thus far, it appears that the most accurate test involved measuring the antibodies involved in anti-NMDAR encephalitis via cerebral spinal fluid (CSF). Antibody titres appear to follow the course of the disease and recovery, even relapse and remission.

If anti-NMDAR encephalitis is suspected in women, imaging for ovarian teratomas should be conducted, and if found, the teratomas should be removed.

How is Anti-NMDAR Treated?

Because anti-NMDAR encephalitis is an immune response, the goal of treatment is to reduce the concentration of anti-NMDAR antibodies. This is done with corticosteroids to reduce inflammation, plasmapheresis or plasma exchange to clear out the antibodies and intraveneous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment to boost the immune response. If an ovarian teratoma is present, it must be removed. If the teratoma is not removed, prognosis is poor, recovery is possible, but takes significantly longer. In general, treatment of the acute phase, where mechanical ventilation is required and recovery require months of hospitalization. Full recovery can take years. The disease also appears wax and wane with periods of remission and relapse.

Final Thoughts

The connection between anti-NMDAR encephalitis and ovarian teratomas is fascinating and though not fully delineated, presents one more bit of evidence that ovarian health is connected to total health. I suspect as the research progresses, our understanding of ovarian teratomas will expand exponentially and offer clues to a myriad of brain and autoimmune diseases currently unrecognized and often inappropriately treated. Who knows, perhaps the environmental factors, medication and vaccines influencing germ cell and teratoma development will garner more respect too.

What Do Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics Have in Common With Gardasil?

by Lisa Bloomquist

Published on August 19, 2013

8645 views

Horrific side effects that are generally unrecognized by medical practitioners, that’s what these medications have in common. Gardasil Week just ended on Hormones Matter. It made me realize how many bad drugs are on the market. I had an adverse reaction to a fluoroquinolone antibiotic, Cipro, and my life changed forever. Reading the Gardasil stories, I noticed similarities amongst the adverse reactions of the fluoroquinolone antibiotics, Cipro, Levaquin and Avelox and the adverse reactions to Gardasil; both are massive, system-wide and go generally unnoticed by modern medicine.

I have to admit, I’m a bit scared about writing this post. I don’t want to be labeled as “anti-vaccine” and demonized as such. I’m not anti-vaccine. Vaccines have saved thousands of lives throughout human history. Even though an antibiotic hurt me, I’m not anti-antibiotic either. Like vaccines, antibiotics have saved thousands, possibly millions of lives. Vaccines and antibiotics together account for so much good in modern medicine that it has become almost sacrilegious to question or criticize them – as if in questioning them one negates the lives that have been saved by them.

Rogue Players

Unfortunately, some rogue players have entered both the vaccine and the antibiotic fields; Gardasil in the vaccine market and the fluoroquinolone antibiotics, Cipro, Levaquin and Avelox, in the antibiotic market. Whether the benefits outweigh the risks of these drugs and/or whether these drugs are being used properly is a question that should be asked. Unfortunately, questioning a vaccine or antibiotic leads many to a knee-jerk reaction. Often the injured individual is accused of being anti-vax or anti-antibiotic. It is as if even asking whether or not these drugs are being properly applied and the risk are being properly assessed, is offensive; as if, in acknowledging that there are side-effects that may not outweigh the benefits for these particular drugs, you are trying to annihilate the whole class of treatments.

I’m not, in any way shape or form, proposing that we get rid of either vaccines or antibiotics. But it would be more than nice, it would be the right, just, empathetic, loving thing to do, to listen to the stories of those who have been hurt by Gardasil or fluoroquinolones, and to explore whether or not they are the right tools to use for accomplishing what we want to accomplish – the limiting of disease and infection. Sticking one’s head in the sand and insisting that all things that come out of the pharmaceutical industry are good and pro-science is a faith-based position that is, frankly, incorrect.

People are being hurt by both Gardasil and fluoroquinolne antibiotics. Disabling, ruinous effects are coming from both of these drugs. Their lives go from normal, with nothing wrong with them in the case of those being treated by Gardasil, or having possibly only a minor infection, in the case of those prescribed fluoroquinolones, to a life of suffering with chronic health problems. This isn’t right. It’s not okay. There is nothing that is okay about turning a non-existent condition into a chronic miserable condition, or an acute condition that can be cured with mild antibiotics, and turning it into a chronic syndrome that causes pain and suffering for years to come.

Too Severe to be Real?

Reactions to both Gardasil and fluoroquinolones are often delayed, weeks to months, and so severe that they are, ironically, disregarded as absurd or impossible. If hundreds or even thousands people didn’t have similar reactions, this might be a valid argument, but when a lot of people have the same reaction of body-wide breakdown, the connection between the drug and the reaction should be seen as valid and researched as such.

Hiking before Cipro, hiking after Cipro — Greg Spooner had a toxic reaction to Cipro in 2010. Details about his story are listed below.

Maybe the incredulous attitude people display when faced with a severe adverse reaction to a pharmaceutical stems from our preconceptions about what medicines should do or how they should act. Although, we are all aware of the risk for side-effects, we believe they “should” be mild and treatable. When, in fact, some patients develop severe reactions that are systemic, complex and difficult or impossible to treat. Rather than connecting the system-wide breakdown that the patient experiences to the drug, it is easier to believe that the cause of the person’s problems were something else, or dismiss the patient with a misdiagnosis. Rarely are the illnesses linked to the medications that caused them. When the adverse reactions are so comprehensive, they’re seen as absurd and unlikely. Worse yet, they are considered impossible to treat and often dismissed. Even if a physician recognizes the connection between the medication or vaccine and the system-wide breakdown that develops, there is very little, if anything, he or she can do to treat the syndromes that arise.

But They Save Lives

“But they save lives!” is always the argument that people make in favor of these drugs. For fluoroquinolones, OF COURSE they save lives! No one is arguing that they don’t. But given the severity of the adverse effects caused by fluoroquinolones, their use should be reserved for life or death situations. Unfortunately, fluoroquinolones are used as a first line of defense against urinary tract infections, sinus infections, suspected prostate infections, travelers’ diarrhea, etc., when other, safer drugs are available and are equally effective. Giving people a drug with the potential for severe negative consequences when there are effective alternatives that don’t have the same risks is a violation of the Hippocratic Oath.

Of course, if everyone reacted as badly as I did to Cipro, or as badly as Alexis, Ashley or Nicole did to Gardasil, these drugs would be taken off the market. Everyone would know that they are dangerous and no one would take them (except, in the case of fluoroquinolones like Cipro, in a truly life-or-death situation where there were no other alternatives). But the fact that not everyone has a horrific adverse reaction to these drugs does not negate the fact that some people do. (And more people have bad reactions to these drugs than realize it. Because of the delay in adverse reactions, the fact that they are under-recognized by doctors and thus an incorrect diagnosis is often made, and the absurdity of the reactions being caused by an antibiotic or vaccine, people often fail to make the connection between the cause, fluoroquinolones or Gardasil, and the reaction, a chronic syndrome of pain and destruction.)

Regardless of whether or not policy change comes as a result of the harm caused by Gardasil or fluoroquinolones, the victims of both deserve sympathy and compassion. They deserve to be able to tell their stories. They deserve to be listened to. I can only hope that the stories are heard.

Postscript. Read more about Greg Spooner’s toxic reaction to Cipro, here.

Information about Fluoroquinolone Toxicity

Information about the author, and adverse reactions to fluoroquinolone antibiotics (Cipro/ciprofloxacin, Levaquin/levofloxacin, Avelox/moxifloxacin and Floxin/ofloxacin) can be found on Lisa Bloomquist’s site, www.floxiehope.com.

Participate in Research

Hormones Matter^TM is conducting research on the side effects and adverse events associated with Gardasil and its counterpart Cervarix. If you or your daughter has had either HPV vaccine, please take this important survey. The Gardasil Cervarix HPV Vaccine Survey.

To take one of our other Real Women. Real Data.^TM surveys, click here.

To sign up for our newsletter and receive weekly updates on the latest research news, click here.

Gardasil - Page 3

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The Connection between Anti-NMDAR Encephalitis and the Ovaries

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