Gardasil and Girls

As a medical reporter and the mother of four young daughters, I am often asked whether the benefits of Gardasil, the cervical cancer vaccine, outweigh the potential risks.

This week there’s more information about possible side effects. Two families have filed lawsuits in federal “vaccine court,” saying their daughters were severely harmed by the vaccine. The family of Jesalee Parsons was the first to file suit. In 2007, she got the HPV vaccine when she was 13. Jesalee’s mom was sure it was the right thing to do; her sister died of cervical cancer caused by HPV. However, within a few hours after getting the shot, Jesalee became very sick. She developed acute pancreatitis and spent weeks in the hospital. Part of her pancreas had to be cut off. She has missed months of school and still doesn’t feel good. So did Gardasil cause Parson’s illness? It’s tough to say – maybe it did, but maybe she was on the verge of developing pancreatitis anyway, and the Gardasil had nothing to do with it. The same holds true for the nearly 8,000 reports of problems filed with the Food and Drug Administration. Girls and women have blamed the vaccine for causing ailments from nausea to paralysis — even death. Fifteen deaths were reported to the FDA, and 10 were confirmed, but the CDC says none of the 10 were linked to the vaccine. The vaccine’s manufacturer, Merck & Co. Inc., estimates that 8 million girls and women have received the vaccine in the United States since it was approved in 2006, and that the FDA’s system “collects data on any adverse event following vaccination, be it coincidental or truly caused by a vaccine.”

Gardasil is routinely recommended for girls ages 11 and 12. When it comes time for your daughter, here are some things to consider:
1. Remember that the vaccine schedule is flexible. The CDC says you don’t have to give shots at exactly the ages they recommend. Talk to your pediatrician about what is best for your child.

2. Weigh the pros and the cons. The vaccine has benefits, but like any drug, it also has risks. Read more on CDC’s Web site. Also, keep in mind that you can get HPV only through having sex. The CDC recommends girls get vaccinated at 11 in order to reach them before they become sexually active.

3. Remember that the complaints to the FDA weren’t necessarily caused by Gardasil. Just because someone got sick after getting Gardasil and reported it to the FDA doesn’t mean the Gardasil caused the illness. It could be a coincidence.

For more tips on how to be an Empowered Patient, check out my column at CNN.com/empoweredpatient

Posted by: Elizabeth Cohen, Elizabeth Cohen - CNN Medical Correspodent
Filed under: Cohen • Empowered Patient • Health