After extensive reading at the websites of the American Cancer Society, the CDC, and Merck's own brochure, I can't find one fact that Dr. Lerner misstated.

In fact, he seems to have gotten most of his facts from Dr. Steven Hotze [M.D., a "real" doctor], the president of Conservative Republicans of Texas who is urging Gov. Perry of Texas to rescind his executive order.

Merck admits, "Gardasil is the only vaccine that MAY help guard against diseases that are caused by HPV" and "may not fully protect everyone and does not prevent all types of cervical cancer."

1. Effectiveness against anal cancer -- only if it's from a sexually transmitted disease involving body parts that I'll not mention here. I don't think that very many 11-year-old girls will be engaging in this disgusting type of behavior! Anal cancer is a risk among gay and bisexual MEN, especially those with HIV/AIDS.

2. Not a single adverse effect of this vaccine -- Gardasil was not evaluated for its potential to cause cancer or genetic damage. Women who became pregnant experienced serious adverse effects. As with many vaccines, you can expect pain and swelling at the injection site, as well as fever, nausea, and dizziness. Diarrhea, upper respiratory tract infection, and insomnia are just a few of the other adverse experiences. 102 "subjects" reported a serious adverse experience (gastroenteritis, appendicitis, pelvic inflammatory disease, asthma, juvenile arthritis), and one died from a blood clot.

Also, the vaccine recipient receives 225 mcg of aluminum with each vaccination, a total of 675 mcg. Aluminum has been linked to neurological dementia and is suspected in other severe nervous system disorders.

3. Cervical cancer's mortality rate is still 25% -- Actually, the survival rate for this cancer caught in its earliest forms is above 95%, and the death rate from cervical cancer continues to decline by nearly 4% a year, according to the American Cancer Society.

4. Booster shots -- Merck hasn't waited long enough to know how long this vaccine remains effective. Merck wants to start making money ASAP, and the best way to have a substantial, steady income is to lobby state governments to mandate vaccination "for the good of the children" because who wants to be accused of being cold-hearted when it comes to kids.

Do the "right thing" and investigate further!

Thank you for clearing up the source of chiropractic Dr. Lerner's dubious claims. I'm not surprised that the source of his questionable statements originated from Dr. Steven Hotze. Dr. Hotze is so infamous that he has his own individual section on "quackwatch.org" (http://www.quackwatch.org/11Ind/hotze.html) and was the subject of a 5 page expose by the Houston Post in 2005 for his questionable treatment practices. Dr. Hotze is somewhat infamous for his declaration that it's "a patient's own fault if they don't get better". At various times in his career, Dr. Hotze has claimed to be a board-certified Ear, Nose and Throat doctor and also a specialist in thyroid conditions. He is neither. With a resume full of false claims and outright duplicity, he is the ideal spokesperson for conservative Republicans.

Now then, let's discuss your claims, in order.

"Merck admits, "Gardasil is the only vaccine that MAY help guard against diseases that are caused by HPV" and "may not fully protect everyone and does not prevent all types of cervical cancer."

With the exceptions of death, taxes and George W. Bush lying to the American people, there are no absolutes in the world. This is particularly true in medicine. Something as common and effective as pennicillin may work in 99% of all infections, but I suspect the warning label on that drug contains the word "MAY help" as well.

1. "Effectiveness against anal cancer". You are correct, the vaccine works only against the type of anal cancer triggered by HPV. While I recognize that you consider anal intercourse "disgusting", studies show that 35% of all women have experimented with this form of sex by the age of 24. You are correct, the vast majority of 11 year olds do not indulge of this type...or ANY type...of sex. That's not the point. The point is that the vaccine has been shown to be most effective in preventing HPV-related illnesses IF you innoculate women BEFORE they become sexually active.

2. You present an interesting list of adverse side effects. I'd like to know where you got them. I scoured the web and found a list compiled by a nurse of purported effects (this nurse is of the opinion that ALL vaccines are evil), but nothing from any authoritative site. You indicate that pregnant women suffered adverse effects. I don't think very many pregnant women get vaccine innoculations. Besides, you were talking about 11 year olds in the previous paragraph!

Your comments concerning aluminum strike me as a simple attempt to invoke fear. Aluminum has been used for decades as a binding agent for vaccines with no discernable problems, a comment you conveniently left out of your statement about 675 micrograms of aluminum. I sincerely doubt that injecting microscopic amounts of aluminum into the muscle of a child will be the catalyst for Alzheimer's some 60 years later.

3. Cervical cancer survival rate - you are correct, if caught early it can be treated successfully 95% of the time. With 10,000 cases diagnosed per year and 3,000 deaths though, I'd say a not-insubstantial number of cases are being detected early enough. Again, an ounce of protection is worth the proverbial pound of cure.

4. "Hasn't waited long enough". That's your opinion. I feel that Merck in this instance did the right thing, they found one of those oh-so-rare "magic bullets" that has virtually no side effects (where'd you find that appendicitis-vaccine side effect, btw?) and a great deal of positive benefit.

I think this vaccine is overall a "plus" for women!

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"When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross" - Upson Sinclair, 1906

I wondered how long it’d be before you mentioned “George W. Bush lying to the American people.” So trite.

1. What’s your source for anal sex & “35% of all women” – "Dyke, Butch, Transgendered" or "Pedophiles Anonymous"?

Why even bring up that topic since we’re talking about CERVICAL cancer prevention? Knowledge of basic anatomy would have prevented your association of anal sex with cervical cancer. Just how does it infect the cervix? I think I'd rather not ask.

2. Try reading Merck’s product info for the list of adverse effects, as well as the "serious" (per Merck) effects on the pregnant women involved in the study.

Other sources are the FDC, MedScape, & Wikipedia: "Other adverse effects, including seizures, fevers, joint pain, lack of consciousness, and Guillain-Barré syndrome, have been filed with VAERS."

Of course, I'm not saying that everyone will suffer even one of these side effects. However, if you are the one to be affected, I'd say that those statistics would mean a lot. At least consider the POSSIBILITY of the adverse effects BEFORE jumping on the Merck band wagon.

Some of the health implications of aluminum came from Health Canada, their federal dept. “responsible for helping Canadians maintain and improve their health, while respecting individual choices and circumstances.”

Considering 484,000 women die annually from cardiovascular disease, 42,000 from breast cancer, 68,000 from lung cancer, why the HUGE panic over cervical cancer in YOUNG GIRLS when the death rate from cervical cancer continues to decline by nearly *4% a year* (Am. Cancer Society)?

3. By "a not-insubstantial number of cases" do you mean a substantial number? (Double negatives from high school grammar)

Let's see - The US female population is about 150 million; so, divide 4000 (number of deaths) by 150 million. That comes to 0.002% of the female population - far from "substantial."

We should think a lot more about 484,000 than 4000, especially since cervical cancer is so curable.

4. "That's your opinion" - yes, based on unemotional reasoning and research. You're welcome to "FEEL that Merck IN THIS INSTANCE did the right thing," but I'd rather KNOW before I take risks with children's long-term health. Remember VIOXX . . . .

I wondered how long it’d be before you mentioned “George W. Bush lying to the American people.” So trite. trite but true!

1. What’s your source for anal sex & “35% of all women” – "Dyke, Butch, Transgendered" or "Pedophiles Anonymous"?
Never heard of either of those organizations. Nice cheap shot, though. I get my information from the Centers for Disease Control. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/ad/ad362.pdf

Why even bring up that topic since we’re talking about CERVICAL cancer prevention? Knowledge of basic anatomy would have prevented your association of anal sex with cervical cancer. Just how does it infect the cervix? I think I'd rather not ask. I'm quite aware of basic anatomy, what's more, I have good comprehension skills, something you appear to be lacking. My initial argument stated that Gardisil was shown effective at preventing both cervical cancer AND ANAL CANCER. You might want to re-read that last sentence. That's why the anal sex percentage was relevant, as you know (and have told us repeatedly, HPV is a sexually transmitted disease

2. Try reading Merck’s product info for the list of adverse effects, as well as the "serious" (per Merck) effects on the pregnant women involved in the study.

Other sources are the FDC, MedScape, & Wikipedia: "Other adverse effects, including seizures, fevers, joint pain, lack of consciousness, and Guillain-Barré syndrome, have been filed with VAERS."

Of course, I'm not saying that everyone will suffer even one of these side effects. However, if you are the one to be affected, I'd say that those statistics would mean a lot. At least consider the POSSIBILITY of the adverse effects BEFORE jumping on the Merck band wagon.

Some of the health implications of aluminum came from Health Canada, their federal dept. “responsible for helping Canadians maintain and improve their health, while respecting individual choices and circumstances.”
Fair enough, as I said before, no vaccine can guarantee 100% safety. When I get a tetanus booster, I know my arm will be sore for a day or so afterward. I weigh the risk vs. the benefit of all medications, as should everyone.

Considering 484,000 women die annually from cardiovascular disease, 42,000 from breast cancer, 68,000 from lung cancer, why the HUGE panic over cervical cancer in YOUNG GIRLS when the death rate from cervical cancer continues to decline by nearly *4% a year* (Am. Cancer Society)? Specious logic, at best. A good carpenter uses all the tools available to him. We have a mechanism to combat one form of cancer, are you saying we shouldn't use it?

3. By "a not-insubstantial number of cases" do you mean a substantial number? (Double negatives from high school grammar)

Let's see - The US female population is about 150 million; so, divide 4000 (number of deaths) by 150 million. That comes to 0.002% of the female population - far from "substantial."

We should think a lot more about 484,000 than 4000, especially since cervical cancer is so curable. Does the phrase "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" mean anything to you? I'm sure the husbands and children of the 4,000 dead women consider the loss of their wives or mothers substantial

4. "That's your opinion" - yes, based on unemotional reasoning and research. You're welcome to "FEEL that Merck IN THIS INSTANCE did the right thing," but I'd rather KNOW before I take risks with children's long-term health. Remember VIOXX . . . . One person's "unemotional reasoning and research" is another person's "scaremongering and fact 'cherry-picking'...We obviously hold largely diametrically opposed positions, and neither of us is prepared to budge. I'm content to let others pass judgment on the merits of our respective arguments
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"When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross"

My comprehension skills are excellent – that’s why I can read Merck’s prescribing information for doctors and see that anal cancer is NOT mentioned – only cervical, vulvar, and vaginal cancers.

The CDC states plainly, “We do not yet know if the vaccine is effective in boys or men. It is possible that vaccinating males will have health benefits for them by preventing genital warts and rare cancers, such as penile and anal cancer.” http://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/STDFact-HPV-vaccine.htm

However, “The NY Times” quoted a SAN FRANCISCO professor of medicine and a director of STD prevention at the San Francisco Dept. of Public Health as HOPING that Gardasil =might= be able to prevent potentially fatal anal cancer in GAY men, the ones most likely to have it and who have the highest risk.

A 2005 study of gay men in San Francisco [where else?!] found that 95% of them had anal HPV infection, and more than 50% had signs of precancerous lesions. So, I can see why “gay” activists are enthusiastic about Gardasil.

Merck is recruiting men for a study but is limiting participants to those who have had no more than 5 sexual partners -- those who have not had “too much sex with men” since they’re more likely already infected with HPV. GSK does not intend to make a similar study.

** For either sex, anal sex is very risky behavior because of the vulnerability of the tissues and the septic nature of the anus. “Septic” comes from the Greek and means “rotten” because the anus is a foul-smelling place of decomposition or DECAY and contains a high number of infectious microorganisms not found elsewhere on the body. Just think of a SEPTIC TANK!

Among some of the diseases with which anal sex is associated are Urinary Tract Infections, Incontinence, HIV, Rectal Gonorrhea that can’t be treated with penicillin, Anal Cancer, &

-Gay Bowel Syndrome (proctitis and proctocolitis with pain and bloody discharge and enteritis with fever, intense diarrhea, severe cramping)

Various diseases associated with the infectious nature of fecal matter:

=Amoebiasis and amoebic dysentery (caused by parasitic amoebae) that has the potential to make the sufferer dangerously ill

=Giardiasis (also caused by a protozoan parasite) – The disease is common in overcrowded developing countries with poor sanitation and a lack of clean water. So, if you want to live like the Third World, then engage in anal sex.

=Typhoidal salmonellosis (a bacterial infection contracted through direct contact with the fecal matter of an infected person that can lead to typhoid fever, which can be fatal)

=Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) caused when Chlamydia trachomatis bacteria gain entrance through breaks in the skin or through mucous membranes, resulting in the formation of painful buboes or abscesses (collections of pus)

To quote the CDC, “This rise in gonorrhea rates [and other STDs] should serve as a wake-up call to all people at risk – including gay and bisexual men – that HIGH-RISK SEXUAL BEHAVIORS CONTINUE TO HAVE VERY REAL CONSEQUENCES.”

As you can see, I get my information from the CDC, too. =)

No "specious logic" here!

"An ounce of PREVENTION is worth a pound of cure." So, don't engage in risky behavior, including smoking, multiple sex partners, and sex at a young age -- more advice from the CDC!

Good Afternoon Denise,

I was beginning to think you'd never respond! I looked over your link, and realize now that I should have fully qualified my initial statement to you: Yes, you are entirely correct at this time in saying that Gardisil is not approved for the treatment of anal cancer at this time. Having said that, it has shown vast promise towards preventing anal cancer in laboratory environments, so much so that Merck has commissioned a field trial study of 4000 homosexual males. We'll see who is correct in the end (pun intended).

I also appreciate your unsourced cut and paste of the hazards of anal intercourse. It goes to show that if you are going to indulge in that sort of behavior (and I didn't mean you personally, you being a good Christianist and all), you should always use a condom.

I suspect you must be overjoyed that the Gardisil vaccination program bill is dead for this year in the General Assembly. You and your "suffer, you sinner!" brethren have prevailed. You must be very proud.

I’m glad that you “appreciate [my] unsourced cut and paste.” Not giving the MANY medical sources was only in the interest of saving space & readers’ time. (One good source is The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy.) But I can assure you that my sources are numerous, including sources for the unreliability of condoms.

40 years ago there were only 2 prevalent STDs, better known as VD (gonorrhea & syphilis), the plague of sailors and prostitutes. Today there are more than 25 STDs. The CDC calls STDs an epidemic with at least 19 million new infections occurring each year. Need I say more about “reliability”!

I never thought that you’d be such an avid supporter of anything that a Republican, especially Don Balfour, was pushing!

Here are a few of the many people who oppose MANDATING this vaccine. I don’t think you’ll find too many (if any) “suffer, you sinner!” types among them.

= Terry J. Allen, Special to CorpWatch

“CorpWatch investigates and exposes corporate violations of human rights, environmental crimes, fraud and corruption around the world. We work to foster global justice, independent media activism and democratic control over corporations.”

“The organization is a project of the Tides Center,” “the nation’s largest fiscal sponsor of progressive social change initiatives.” It’s been the recipient of $230,000 from the Heinz Endowments (as in Teresa Heinz KERRY) and more than $7 million from GEORGE SOROS. The Tides Center-Foundation has “strongly supported” CAIR (Council for American-Islamic Relations), PAW (People for the American Way), Gay-Straight Alliance Network (promoters of QUEER Youth Advocacy Day in public schools), and other liberal organizations.

Sounds just like your type of place! =)

“Both experts and consumers found good reasons for waiting before making the vaccine mandatory. (They did not include fears that all vaccines are dangerous, or that protecting against a sexually transmitted disease encourages girls to have sex.)”

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the CDC oppose making Gardasil mandatory.

“Some critics pointed out that the test period was too short to assess long-term effects and efficacy. In fact, the studies on children, who often react differently to drugs, were shorter yet, and smaller.”

“And then there is the possibility that, given time and real-world conditions, side effects will emerge.”

“The background documents also raised questions about whether selectively targeting a few HPV viruses (there are more than 100) would ‘advantage others.’ Another concern ‘was the potential for Gardasil to enhance disease among’ subjects already infected ‘with vaccine-relevant HPV.’”

“According to a 2002 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, ‘The safety of new agents cannot be known with certainty until a drug has been on the market for years. Serious ADRs [adverse drug reactions] commonly emerge after Food and Drug Administration approval.’”

“‘The published data look great, but at the very least, I would like to see efficacy data among 11 and 12 years old, which won't emerge until they are sexually active,’ says Karen Smith-McCune, a University of California associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology. And so too, would many medical experts, public health officials and consumers.”

“The appearance of a conflict of interest”: “former Merck employees connected with development of the vaccine”

“The integrity of the FDA review process is also vulnerable to charges of conflict of interest over the fees the cash-strapped agency accepts from the drug companies.”

“But Merck, like any corporation, is motivated by more than altruism. If Gardasil becomes routine, the $360-$400 course will generate annual sales of $3.2 billion by 2010.”

“Merck needs this financial shot in the arm to offset liabilities caused by Vioxx.”

“This history of hiding data [about Vioxx] has done little to reassure Gardasil skeptics.”

“New Scientist estimates that Gardasil will save ‘around 1,200 lives. This is an unequivocally desirable outcome, but at $800 million per year, the cost of saving each life will be over $650,000. If the goal is to save lives, there are more cost-effective ways of doing so.’”

I couldn’t have said it better myself!

= Democrat Governor Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania: “We should inform parents about the risk factor, but it shouldn't be mandatory.”

= I can’t find where 1 Canadian province has added Gardasil to its provincial health plan.

= Opinion Column by Mike King, a member of the AJC editorial board

“However, the two medical groups you'd think would be leading the campaign for vaccination, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Gynecologists and Obstetricians, seem inclined to slow the mandatory vaccination train down.”

“No vaccine, at least one not connected to a potential pandemic, has moved so quickly from approval to being required.”

“More troubling is that Gardasil, the trade name of the vaccine, is manufactured by Merck, which has heavily contributed to Women in Government, a group of female legislators who have been pushing legislation to require the vaccine all over the country. Mandatory vaccination opens a potential $5 billion market to Merck, which wants to get its product out there before a competitor releases a similar vaccine later this year.”

“But its significant costs and the uncertainties of its long-term effectiveness more than outweigh making it mandatory at this stage.”

“A wiser course would be to focus resources on raising awareness about HPV in young women and encourage those who are sexually active to be routinely screened. Meanwhile, public health advocates and legislators should closely monitor Gardasil's effectiveness in teens and young adults who voluntarily agree to try it.”

= WashingtonTimes

“The chairman of the federal panel [CDC] that recommended the new cervical-cancer vaccine for pre-teen girls says lawmakers should not make the inoculation mandatory . . . . because the sexually transmitted HPV is not a contagious disease like measles.”

“But cancer data show that lawmakers looking to force pre-teen girls to take Gardasil, the lone vaccine on the market, are targeting the wrong age group.”

“Middle-school girls inoculated with the breakthrough vaccine will be no older than 18 when they pass Gardasil’s five-year window of proven effectiveness – more than a decade before the typical cancer patient contracts HPV.”

“Infectious disease specialists and cancer pathologists say the incubation period for HPV becoming cancer is 10 to 15 years – meaning the average cervical cancer patient, who is 47, contracted the virus in her 30s and would not be protected by Gardasil taken as a teen.”

“Dr. Abramson said the panel thinks the vaccine will last for at least 10 years. Even if it provides 10 years of protection, it would still leave girls given the inoculation in the sixth grade vulnerable during their late 20s and early 30s, when most cervical-cancer patients contract HPV.”

= MSNBC Poll

-Should a state require that schoolgirls get the shot against human papillomavirus?

*86848 responses – 63% NO – Parents should decide whether or not their daughters are vaccinated.

=“Focus on the Family supports widespread (universal) availability of HPV vaccines but opposes mandatory HPV vaccinations for entry to public school.”

Guess you just assumed that Focus is against the vaccine & didn’t bother to find out, or are your reading comprehension skills deficient?

BTW, just what is “a good Christianist”?

I believe that you're using a logical fallacy called an ad hominem attack, one of the best known of the logical fallacies usually explained in introductory logic and critical thinking textbooks.

If Dr. Hotze's such a quack, have there been any lawsuits filed against him, & have the plaintiffs prevailed? Has he had his medical license suspended or revoked? Has he faced any disciplinary action from his state medical board?

Actually, Dr. Hotze's license status is active with no actions on file by the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners. He has held his medical license from Texas for more than 30 years; however, Dr. Stephen Barrett does not seem to hold an active license from Pennsylvania.

Dr. Barrett is a psychiatrist, not an internist, gynecologist, etc. who’d be more qualified to critique medical practices involving the body. He does seem obsessed with debunking “alternative” medicine, having spent the last 30+ years questioning acupuncture (personally I’d not want needles in me), glucosamine (now prescribed by the vet for dogs’ joint problems & recognized by JAMA as being “efficacious” for humans), chiropractic care (just like the rest of life – some good, some bad), Dr. Atkins’s diet (works quite well for some), etc.

BTW, Dr. Hotze was not interviewed for the Houston Post article, which did not stick to his medical practices but interjected disparaging comments about his religious & political views. Dr. Hotze’s license hasn’t been pulled since this “expose,” so I’ll leave his medical competence in the hands of his patients and the licensing board.

If you wish to categorize questioning a doctor lying about his credentials as an "ad hominem" attack, that's your perogative.

I was countering your own logical fallacy, the "appeal to authority", when you trotted out Dr. Hoetze as an authority. A man that has been censured by the national association of endocrinologists strikes me as having precious little gravitas.

Dr. Barrett simply pointed out the questionable medical practices of your Dr. Hoetze. Personally, I'd avoid a doctor who told me that it was my own fault for not getting better, but that's just me. It's a free country (President Bush's efforts to restrict our freedoms notwithstanding) and people can seek out the medical doctor of their choice.

As an aside, thank you for the Sinclair correction.
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"When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross" - Upton Sinclair, 1935

J.C., I see that you corrected the misspelling of Upton Sinclair's name but failed to attribute the quote to SINCLAIR LEWIS -- 2 entirely different people.

It's from a political SATIRE novel; so, I'd check the context and intent before using the quote.

Still waiting for your explanation of the use of the term "fascism."

Do you regularly read Ariana Huffington’s blog?

"I was countering your own logical fallacy, the 'appeal to authority', [sic] when you trotted out Dr. Hoetze [sic] as an authority."

J.C., I believe that I was just informing you that the chiropractor that you made the offensive remark about appeared to get some of his information from Dr. Hotze.

Since you used an ad hominem attack against the D.C. (Doctor of Chiropractic), I thought I'd give you a practicing M.D. for a reference.

Yes, we should be free to seek medical advise and treatment from the physician of our own choosing AND to choose NOT to put drugs into our bodies.

As great a freedom would be not to force taxpayers to pay for the results of sexual promiscuity to the tune of millions of dollars.

"It's a free country (President Bush's efforts to restrict our freedoms notwithstanding."

Can you go 5 minutes without mentioning President Bush? Just try!

Just exactly how is the President trying to "restrict our freedoms"?

I guess you're in favor of LESS government?

What about the Fair Tax? Getting rid of the IRS would definitely mean less government.

Doesn't REQUIRING a vaccine for a disease that is acquired willfully "restrict our freedoms"? HPV isn't caught from someone sneezing on you. Just wondering . . . .

Now now, Denise, I fail to see how any rational person could possibly infer that I was implying that President Stumbletongue was responsible for HPV.

I probably could go five minutes without mentioning the shortcomings of Dear Leader, but a part of me wants to enjoy my First Amendment rights to free speech while I still have 'em, so I regret to say you are out of luck here.

We can debate the lame duck's shortcomings (and fascism too, if you like) in another blog...let's try and stay focused on HPV here.

Once again, vaccines in the state of Georgia are not REQUIRED to attend school. This has been pointed out in this blog. I'd appreciate it if you'd stop repeating that red herring. There are appropriate waivers for those who chose not to vaccinate their children.

HPV is not caught by someone sneezing on you. You are correct. It is a SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE. A study by the Journal of the American Medical Association released yesterday indicated that as many as one out of three women under the age of 24 carries the HPV. Young people have sex, Denise. I'm getting the distinctly unpleasant feeling that you are of the opinion that people who contract HPV, not unlike AIDS, somehow "deserve" it and should be made to suffer for their sins. Please tell me I'm wrong.
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"When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross" - Upton Sinclair Lewis Carroll O'Connor or somebody like that

Your fascism quote – Do you mean UPTON Sinclair, the author of The Jungle?

This quote is actually from the satirical political novel written in 1935 by Sinclair Lewis "It Can't Happen Here." Did you happen to get the catchy quote from The Huffington Post, Ariana’s blog?

Just what is fascism anyway?

That's the problem here basmati, this is all opinion and conjecture and I won't risk my daughter's health on your opinion. This whole thing has been fast tracked and when you put it out there for millions of people you can see very different results. If it hurts only one or two percent of the users you're still talking about a lot of people.

My political leanings have nothing to do with this vaccine and I don't believe that anyone can trust the drug company's when it comes down to their profits. these are the same company's that made the diet drugs that gave you the heart attacks or damaged your heart. maybe when it is tested a little longer I will believe them.

This is the exact same company that gave us "FDA" approved "Vioxx".

Any questions?

Ford gave us the Pinto. Should everyone boycott Ford because of that? Hmmmm?
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"When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross" - Upson Sinclair, 1906

the state is not telling us we have to buy a ford though, can you see that difference?

This shot has to do with "sex." If you tell your daughter to get the shot she will say why and you will have to say you might get cancer if you don't. That is way too much of that kind of talk. She may think you want her to have sex. It is bad enough to have sex after you are married!
I recall when we wanted to put fluoride in municipal drinking water to prevent nearly all cavities of the teeth. It has worked so well that dentists have had to specialize in beauty to make a living.
Boy, though when it was being voted on, many said we would grow two heads and our lungs would collapse.

I just wanted to sound off on this, it hits close to home. Back about 11 years ago the fda released the vaccine for chicken pox, it was suppose to be this great fix all. No more chicken pox, no boosters, just 1 shot and you where done for life. Well my son was one of the first children in the state to recieve this vaccine, 4 days later we where in the hospital with him being diagnosed with diabetis. When it all happened we did not really make the connection. After learning that type 1 diabetis can be triggered by a vaccine or a reaction to a vaccine is when we made the connection. The Chicken pox vaccine was fast tracked just like this one. And now 10 years later they are telling us that you now have to have a booster shot or risk getting Chicken Pox when you are older and at greater risk of complications. Before my Wife and I will let our daughter get this vaccine their will have to be much more research done. And you can bet that she will not get this vaccine just because the Government says so.

Dondol, I am so sorry that your son developed diabetes. Our son is 12 and also was one of the first to get the chicken pox vaccine. We were lucky, at least as far as we know thus far.

Doctors don't tell you about all possible complications from vaccines, particularly long-term complications. By using vaccines, you are taking a risk: preventing one disease in the short term, but possibly triggering another, either immediately or down the road. When my son was young, I took everything doctors said as gospel. I've learned that they are not giving the whole story. (What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children's Vaccinations, by Stephanie Cave, M.D., was an eye-opener for me.)

In Georgia, there are two types of waivers for vaccinations for school attendance: medical and religious. With my other children, I wanted to delay some vaccinations and refuse others, but I felt that filing a religious objection would be dishonest. How could I have a religious objection to the chicken pox vaccination, but not to measles or pertussis vaccination? On the other hand, if Georgia passes a law requiring HPV vaccination for my daughter when she reaches middle school age, I may well find religion after all.

Requiring HPV vaccination for school attendance would make little sense. To my knowledge, HPV cannot be spread through the air or by casual contact. Make the vaccine available, but let parents decide whether and when to use it.