I'm looking up info re the Gardasil shot (On the Gardisal site) and one of the FAQ questions is:
"What are the ingredients in GARDISAL?" and the answer is:
"The ingredients are proteins of HPV Types 6, 11, 16, and 18, amorphous aluminum hydroxyphosphate sulfate, yeast protein, sodium chloride, L-histidine, polysorbate 80, sodium borate, and water for injection."
The particular ingredient that concerns me is the amorphous aluminum hydroxyphosphate sulfate. I've heard that aluminum has been found in the brains of Alzheimers patients and wonder if this should be of any concern for young girls receiving the series of Gardasil shots? I'm researching this for a friend of mine whose grandmother has Alzheimers and an almost 13 year old daughter who has not had the Gardasil shots. Thanks for any encouraging light you can shed on this.
Science Short answer. Nothing here except neuromythology. Please do notmake me get specific on just how false and unfounded these type of vacuous Internet rumors are.
You know OCF strictly prohiibits crazy on guardisill
I expected better from you
Charm
Oh-o-o-o Charm! I am just SO glad we have you! Great Science article - I love the term "neuromythology". I thought as much, but coming from you really puts a punch in it.
And Tammy - Thank you for your wonderful confirmation of Charm's comments!
My daughter and sons have had them. It MIGHT cause issues...OC DOES cause issues. 'Nough said.
Kathy
My two boys are getting them right now. I wish I had it.
Aluminium was linked with dementia in the 70s. The studies referred to long term exposure such as aluminium cookware leaching into food and daily use of anti-perspirants. This is not likely to be in any way similar to small and short term doses contained in gardisil.
I do not know if they ever proved a causal link but I don't use aluminium saucepans or aluminium containing deodorants. I WOULD however submit to gardisil shots if I was a young person
My children have both had the shots without any side effects.
If this was a serious concern, then we have a bigger problem than a component of this one vaccine. We come into contact with aluminum and its ions and permutations/alloys every day of our lives. Cook in an aluminum pan ever? Take an antacid? Wrap something in foil to save to eat later? Drink a canned soda or beer? Of course 8% of the earths crust is made of aluminum. Use an anti-perspirant? I could go on here ad nauseum, but if there really is a connection, we have to dump some serious amounts of it in our lives� the Guradasil shot is the least of our concerns.
Every scientist that has pointed at the MANY vaccines that contain this form of aluminum as a risk, has be broadly discredited in peer reviewed scientific literature. But there is a HUGE amount of money to be made in the autism/anti vaccine world, and as with most things, just follow the money of the people that are selling books related to pseudo science that does not stand up to peer scientific scrutiny. Look at Australia that has 73% of all their school age girls vaccinated with Gardasil without serous incident. The difference isn't that Australians are different biologically than Americans, it is that they do not have a huge anti vaccine crowd in their midst spreading pseudo science and innuendo.
There are plenty of things in our world that are dangerous. Everyone seems to ignore the simple issue of volume of exposure. Just about anything is toxic in huge amounts, fluoride what we put in our drinking water for instance. It is a serious toxin. But in small parts per million it prevents tooth decay while posing no serious risks to us. The lists of similar things could fill volumes.
Nothing in life is without risks. If people really worry about this vaccine, they should also not drive on the freeways where far more people are going to meet a bad experience or end. We can't go through life living in a bubble. Stay away from hot dogs at the ball park too please...
Thank you so much, everyone for your replies! They really help.
Brian, your comments really put things in perspective and are so appreciated!
I am so grateful to all of you and for having OCF in my life.
Thank you for taking all the comments in good spirit. Sometimes, a cascade of theses kind of replies can be misconstrued as an attack for even asking the question. But I think that everyone just wants the best information out there so people can make good science based decisions.
Brian - There is no other way to take the comments except in good spirit. I've been with OCF long enough to know the heart and altruistic nature of those who come here to help and support each other. You have no idea how grateful I am and how much I appreciate what you have done for me and everyone who has found OCF. I have been trying to gather info for a friend so that she can have some really accurate info supporting the Gardasil shots and as you mentioned "make a good science based decisions". In addition to the HPV and Gardisal links from OCF which I am forwarding to her, I've also checked Quackwatch, FDA, CFR, Skeptoid, forthesakeofscience.com, innovation.org, who all refute claims by the anti-vax groups. The Quackwatch has some really great articles on "25 ways to Spot Quacks and Vitamin Pushers" and "More Ploys that can Fool You". Thank you for all you do for us.
There is no risk-free path in life, and I say this as the parent of a child who developed epilepsy 5 days after a MMR. Our high school son, with our help, weighed all of the available information and decided to take Gardasil. For our family the benefits outweighed the risks. That said, we do what we can to limit exposure that has no benefit, i.e. do not use aluminum pans (cast iron only) and do our best to eat organic, clean food.
Ana - How nice that you included your son in the research of information so that he could make the Gardasil decision. I agree that there is no risk-free path in life. All we can do is inform ourselves and learn everything we can so as to make informed and science-based decisions.
[quote=Brian Hill] Look at Australia that has 73% of all their school age girls vaccinated with Gardasil without serous incident. The difference isn't that Australians are different biologically than Americans, it is that they do not have a huge anti vaccine crowd in their midst spreading pseudo science and innuendo. [/quote]
The New York Times' "Well" blog had a
post yesterday about a
new study in BMJ, a leading British medical journal, on the success of the HPV vaccine program in Australia.
Thanks, Leslie! I made copies of both, the NY Times post and the BMJ study. There was also a link from the NY Times story about studies which counter the notion that the vaccine alters sexual behavior. Since I first posted, with the info from OCF and several other science-based sites, I've put together quite a collection of pro-Gardasil information. Just yesterday I sent an email to the "friend" I mentioned earlier that included a two-page attachment of all the important links for her to consider in making a decision. She and her daughter are very important to me and I cannot make decisions for anyone but myself. But, if I can provide correct medical information to counter what all the anti-vaccine people are spreading, I will feel better about perhaps helping someone to avoid what my son Paul went through in surviving his oral cancer. Thank you OCF and everyone who helped me do that!
Ok, I know there are folks who are relaying unscientific information, but I have to pop up here and say, that by labeling any one with a concern a "wing-nut", you run the risk of losing folks in the middle...the very people we need to listen to the solid information backing the need to protect children with this vaccine. Just saying, I think we're much better off to stay on the facts, and leave out anything that may evoke a purely emotional response.
Ana, Im sorry. You are correct, I have edited out the phrase.
Slate also has a piece about the new BMJ study (with lots of links to add to your list, Anne-Marie!).
Oh-Oh, Ana - you are so right! I used the term in question too, and it really does not help to alienate anyone. Christine - maybe you would want to edit out the one in my previous post as well?
And thanks, Leslie, for the Slate link. I have added it to my list which is getting to be quite extensive already.
New study on Gardasil
finds that two doses may be just as effective in girls aged 9 to 13 as the full three-dose regimen is in young women aged 16 to 26.
Thank you SO much, Leslie! I just checked it out, and added it to my list of important urls re The Gardasil vaccine. I have more than 2 pages of links and it's still growing with more info. Thanks for being so on top of this. I really appreciate it.