Still not convinced Gardasil is safe

Recently, I took my two eldest daughters for their annual physicals at the pediatrician's office. Once again, they offered my 14-year-old the opportunity to have the Gardasil vaccine. And, just like last time, I refused it.

This is not a "moral" issue for me. I am under absolutely no illusions that giving her a vaccine that guards against STD viruses will make her any more or less likely to engage in sexual activity. All I can do is teach her the values that I believe in, and when she reaches adulthood, it's up to her to decide what is right for her.

There are those who may feel that I am being irresponsible in not "protecting" my daughter by getting the vaccine, but after doing a great deal of independent research, I still have some serious concerns regarding Gardasil. I believe this drug was fast-tracked into the market, driven by corporate greed rather than public safety. In particular, I'm concerned over the lack of data on how Gardasil affects a young girl's reproductive system. Since the vaccine is so new, we won't know the ramifications of this drug until the girls getting vaccinated reach child-bearing age.

It reminds me of the DES saga all over again. And, I'm not willing to take that chance with my children.

In early July, the Centers for Disease Control released information regarding adverse reactions to Gardasil vaccine: nearly 8,000 women have reported side effects ranging from pain at the injection site, to paralysis, and even death. One of the "selling points" for getting your child vaccinated with Gardasil is that it's been available in Australia for several years. Now, they, too, are reporting negative reactions to the vaccine, as detailed in
this article from VaccineRX.

Until further testing is done, my daughters will not be receiving this vaccine.