Greece to Join Countries Using Dangerous HPV Vaccine in Mandatory Programs

By Hilary White
 
  ROCHESTER, New York, October 24, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Despite the growing evidence of life threatening side effects from Gardasil, the vaccine for Human Papilloma Virus, government health agencies around the world continue to implement mandatory Gardasil vaccination programs for women and young girls.
 
  Today New York State Senate Democrats held public hearings to discuss whether to make the vaccination mandatory for young girls and whether it should be covered at public expense for uninsured girls. Virginia and Texas have already passed laws making the vaccine mandatory by next September. The rules include an opt-out for parents who object.
 
  At the same time, the Greek government has announced it will begin routine vaccinations with Gardasil of young girls aged 12 to 15 with vaccination to be recommended for girls and young women aged 15 to 26.
 
  Gardasil, manufactured by Merck & Co as a vaccine to combat the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), has been implicated in a total of eleven deaths of young women since it was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. Research has found that some types of HPV, a sexually transmitted infection, are the likely cause of most cases of cervical cancer. The deaths associated with the drug were caused by blood clots and heart problems.
 
  Greece joins Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, the US, Canada and Australia in vaccinating girls for HPV.
 
  The vast success of the drug with government health programs around the world has boosted the profitability of its manufacturer, Merck & Co. Sales of Gardasil have grown to US $418 million. Merck reported sales increases are up 62 per cent this quarter with sales of Gardasil increasing 17 per cent from the previous quarter. Merck reports that overall sales were up 12 per cent to US $6.1 billion of which vaccines totaled $1.2 billion.