(Update 11/4/15: Since TMR began reporting on the now obvious HPV vaccine reactions observed in Irish teenagers in the few years since Gardasil was introduced, a brave mother, Fiona Kirby, is seeking a court order to revoke the license of Gardasil in Ireland. Senator Paschal Mooney is also calling for a full Senate debate on the issue which is attracting media attention worldwide. Thanks to all the tireless advocates in Ireland for speaking out on behalf of their daughters. If the Minister for Health won’t listen, then maybe he will have to soon enough. The pressure is mounting on the Irish government to defend its children.)
A few short months ago I wrote about what I believe to be the shortcomings of the Irish government’s school-based HPV vaccination campaign called “Blitz and Mop.” Since that time, I have seen the amazing strides a small group of parents have made in their efforts to raise awareness for their sick children, illnesses they attribute to the side effects of that same vaccination campaign. They formed a grassroots group called R.E.G.R.E.T. which, at the time, only had a few members but had already begun to get some media attention. Sadly, their membership has grown to over 100, which has gotten the attention of Ireland’s political establishment. A sense of outrage is building in Ireland due to the severity of the girls’ conditions and the lack of response from the government to date.
Over the summer months, prior to the September roll-out of the 2015 HPV vaccine campaign, members of R.E.G.R.E.T. were being interviewed by major national radio stations and featured in numerous newspaper articles: here, here and here. The media in Ireland seem to be uncensored and free to talk about this issue, which is something we rarely see in the U.S., perhaps due to the risk of being “Couric-ized.” The Irish media are doing what real journalists are supposed to do – going out and talking to the witnesses, gathering the evidence and asking the public to contribute to the conversation. One of Ireland’s top radio show hosts, Neil Prendeville, recently talked to the mother of one such injured girl and in listening to this interview we can get a real sense of the public outrage developing in Ireland in response to this “conversation.” There were similar stories reported in the U.K. media around the same time, adding fuel to the anecdotal-evidence fire.
Leo Varadkar, Ireland’s Minister for Health
As a result of tireless advocating, members of R.E.G.R.E.T. have successfully lobbied their local politicians for assistance in alerting Ireland’s minister for health, Mr. Leo Varadkar, to the seriousness of their daughters’ plight. However, Mr. Varadkar has so far refused to meet with the families despite numerous requests. In fact, he has dismissed the girls’ injuries by claiming that their symptoms “would not be unexpected in this patient population.” It appears that the minister is content with the fact that the vaccine injury rate thus far (849 reported cases) is “consistent with the expected pattern of adverse effects for the vaccine.”
Following enormous media attention in the last few months, senators from one of Ireland’s major political parties – Fianna Fáil – met with families from R.E.G.R.E.T. to hear, first-hand, their accounts of what happened in the months and years following vaccination.
Senator Paschal Mooney
Senator Paschal Mooney made an impassioned speech during a senate debate in the Oireachtas (Parliament) earlier this month, supported by Sen. Fidelma Healy Eames, where he referred to the HSE (Health Service Executive, Ireland’s version of the Department of Health) as “acting disgracefully” in their policy of withholding risk information from the parents of girls being vaccinated, a basic human right. He expressed outrage at the HSE for ignoring the girls’ repeated requests for help as they lay confined to their beds or in psychiatric wards throughout Ireland. He called the situation “a national disgrace” and put the minister for health “on notice” that Fianna Fáil would be submitting a motion for inquiry.
The call for a public inquiry in Ireland coincides with the announcement that the European Medicines Agency has launched a European investigation into HPV vaccines at the request of Denmark. There was international outrage following the widely viewed Danish documentary describing symptoms observed in Danish girls that were eerily similar to other reported reactions all over the world. This prompted the Danish government to take action. The EMA investigation has already begun. A few members of R.E.G.R.E.T. travelled to London over the summer to meet with the EMA and submitted their written testimonies to assist with their inquiry.
It has been a long time since Ireland has objected en masse to a vaccine. In the 1970s and ’80s, there were many reported serious adverse reactions to the DPT vaccine similar to serious reactions reported in other countries. The Irish government responded to the parents of the injured by setting up the “Expert Medical Group on Whooping Cough Vaccination.” It reviewed 93 cases and found that there was a reasonable probability that the vaccine was responsible for damage in 16 of the cases. If there was a reasonable doubt in any case, the group gave the benefit of that doubt to the person. Each victim was awarded £10,000.
Is it unreasonable therefore to expect a similar investigation into the HPV vaccine, so that we may establish whether or not the vaccine is causing harm, even in a few cases? I can’t see an argument against it. We must ask ourselves, who is protecting the children as the minister for health is openly practicing cognitive dissonance regarding this issue? When is it appropriate to apply the Precautionary Principle and halt the program whilst an investigation is conducted? Since cervical cancer is not prevalent in teenagers, a moratorium pending the outcome of such an investigation should be a reasonable consideration for the minister.
Vaccine injury is not unknown to the Irish government, as this document reveals. A government-appointed steering committee recommended in 2009 that a no-fault compensation program be implemented without delay. However, no action was taken and victims continue to be ignored, without compensation or legal recourse. There appears to be a general “denialist” attitude to the side effects of the HPV vaccine, even though there have been almost 900 reported reactions to the Health Products Regulatory Agency (HPRA) since the inception of the program five years ago. Adding insult to injury, the HSE instructs local health authorities, who administer the vaccine in schools, not to disclose all risk information to parents prior to vaccination (10th slide here). They also instruct medical staff to stay silent on the issue: “The girl/parent/legal guardian should be reassured there may be no side effects following the vaccination.” (Page 13 here).
Senator Paschal Mooney accuses the medical profession of “protecting the pharmaceutical companies by denying these adverse side effects.” Perhaps he is correct and that is indeed what is happening. But we will only find the answer to that question if there is a public inquiry into what exactly is going on with the girls of R.E.G.R.E.T.
In seeking to understand why a government would not stand up for the basic human rights of its most valuable resource, our children, we must ask ourselves more difficult questions. We should look to the bigger picture of worldwide pharmaceutical influence in establishing the religious devotion of “vaccinology,” where asking even the most basic questions about safety or efficacy is tantamount to sacrilege. It is difficult to contemplate what this atmosphere of hostile persuasion means for our vulnerable population of teenagers if certain proposed HPV laws are passed in New York State. The U.S. government has already compensated many serious Gardasil injuries, including the death of 17-year-old Jessica Ericzon of upstate New York. If New York Senators are successful in their bid to mandate the HPV vaccine (Hoylman SB509) and allow vaccination to occur without parental consent or knowledge (Krueger S2712), we may sadly see many more Jessica Ericzons and countless more serious injuries.
Since the conglomerate vaccine industry is virtually liability free, the truth seekers of the world should be keeping their eye on Ireland because their media are apparently uncensored – and that is fascinating to those of us aware of the U.S. media silence on vaccine issues. Could we possibly be sitting ringside, witnessing the house of cards falling on Gardasil? I personally don’t think that Merck, who earns billions of dollars a year from Gardasil, will allow the tiny island of Ireland to pull them asunder. The lives of 100 girls are just acceptable collateral damage – it says so in the package insert. The Irish Minister for Health is totally fine with it too.
So when will it be too much to bear? When will we find the straw big enough to break the camel’s back? Who is going to be brave enough to stand up to Goliath for the sake of 100 Irish teenage girls? I think we already know. Visit www.regret.ie to meet their mothers. The most feared opponents are those who have nothing to lose. Hell hath no fury indeed.
~ ShamROCK
For more by ShamROCK, click here.
Interesting although not surprising news from Denmark today. All of the investigators charged with carrying out the EMA review of HPV vaccines, have ties to the industry. We cannot hope for an impartial investigation which could have helped so many girls.
This is the link, translation below:
http://www.mx.dk/nyheder/danmark/story/19694076
Redder HPV vaccinations life or destroys it for thousands of European girls?
FACTS
Metro ‘review shows among other things that SAC’s president, Andrew Pollard, was chairman of its British Government’s expert group which approved the vaccine, the government adviser on vaccine works for a vaccine group, which performs tests for vaccine manufacturers are on the payroll of both vaccine manufacturers and also has declared the vaccine safe.
At least four other doctors in the 11-strong groups also receive money, and at least six of them have helped to approve the vaccine, declaring it safe and promote it in their home countries.
It should be a scientific, expert advisory group of the European Medicines Agency, EMA, today find out at a meeting in London. Group, SAC Vaccination must examine 13,915 reports to the EMA for serious side effects.
– We have struggled to get tested vaccines ‘side effects since 2009, so we look forward to SAC’s studies, explains Spanish Alica Lanagram, which collected 88 girls’ illness stories for the vaccine group.
But the result is a foregone conclusion, and no one can expect an objective review, says the criticism from experts and politicians after reading Metro ‘review of SAC’s experts.
The majority of the experts have either received money from the industry, helped initially approve the vaccine or otherwise clean bill of the serious side effects.
Christel Schaldemose (S), member of the EU parliament, is shocked and is now taking up the matter with the European Commission:
– I am terrified, because we have such a need that will be looked with objective eyes. But most of these people’s sovset in economic and political terms in a way that you can be sure of an acquittal of the vaccine.
Also Karsten Juul Jorgensen, Cochrane Institute fears that the result is a foregone conclusion.
– A waste of time. One can not expect an objective answer, and it will never convince the skeptics. I do not understand that it is legal, and we are left in the lurch by health authorities.
READ ALSO: Denmark skips controversial HPV vaccine
There were reported 352 deaths and 39,171 adverse reactions to the EMA regarding HPV vaccines.
It evokes frustration among Karsten Viborg from the Association of HPV side effect hit these many cases to be examined by an expert group, the majority of whom have close ties to industry or are advocates for vaccines.
– It is terrible many girls who are terribly ill and which now must be evaluated by people who are great all through the last 10 years has consistently absolved vaccine. So from having hoped for EMA, I am now full of fear, but also angry and outraged industry’s immense power.
At Medicines Agency rejects Henrik G. Jensen concern:
– We have full confidence that EMA can handle this task. Conflict of interest issues under the auspices of EMA is handled by the EMA under the rules, member states have agreed in common. The Danish Medicines Agency urges to follow the Danish and European drug authorities’ recommendations, he said.
INCLUDING YOU CAN SEE METROXPRESS ‘REVIEW OF SAC-MEMBERS
Andrew Pollard
Professor, Oxford University’s children’s department.
Chairman of the SAC group.
Was chairman of the British government’s expert group which approved the HPV vaccine and later advisor to the British government in relation to the vaccines.
Working for Oxford Vaccine Group, which performs tests for vaccine manufacturers. The group says that the vaccine has no serious side effects.
According to its statement on possible conflicts of interest to the EMA on the payroll of both GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi Pasteur, which now sells Gardasil to the English children’s program.
Recently expressed ‘the safety of the vaccine is not in question, that no evidence has, there are signals about its lack of security, but that it has clear evidence that 900 British women who have not had the vaccine will die this year of cervical cancer, and the vaccine has the potential to prevent such deaths in the future, so therefore you are not worried about its security, but worried about the stories that can deprive these girls the vaccine and thereby result in people dying because of this. ‘
Fred Zepp
Employed Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz – Children’s Hospital, Germany.
Have abandoned in the declaration of interests to the EMA, he has been principal investigator for Sanofi since 2006.
Has a number of positions in the industry about vaccines.
Co-author on the study comparing the two vaccines, which concludes the vaccines are safe. The study is paid for by GlaxoSmithKline.
Has also helped another study, declaring the vaccine safe. Here he conference costs, travel expenses and hotels paid by GSK. In the same article behave, he also said that he has received honoraria for conducting clinical studies for GSK and Sanofi.
He is also the official spokesman for the State Advisory Vaccination Committee Stiko. Stikos website is paid by GSK to be here especially praises Fred Zepp for his efforts against vaccinations. Zepp also sits also in other medical societies and advice.
E. Joost Ruitenberg
Veterinarian and professor of animal immunology. University of Amsterdam
Has made a clean statement of potential conflicts of interest to the EMA.
Vaccine Advocacy. He has published articles and spoken out about how to persuade people to accept vaccines and has economic cooperation with MSD and Merck around animals and cancer.
Ilaria Passarani
From Beuc, the European consumer organization. Has made a clean statement of potential conflicts of interest.
Hanne Nøkkelby
Director of Folkehelseinstituttet, which is responsible for the Norwegian childhood vaccination program.
Has made a clean statement of potential conflicts of interest to the EMA.
But she introduced the vaccine in Norway despite many warnings from Norwegian doctors.
She calls the vaccine ‘safe’ and says that all women might as well take it – and recommend thus also for use in women up to 45 years and children with allergies.
Fees Paid by both GSK and Merck
Anders Lindberg
Senior consultant at the Swedish health with a focus on vaccination.
Has made a clean statement of potential conflicts of interest to the EMA.
Writes articles and lectures on how to get critics to be vaccinated anyway.
Margareta Blennow
Karolinska Institutet.
Vaccinations are a primary part of her work, and she sits in both state and regional expert groups where she recommends HPV vaccine.
She has not declared conflicts of interest to the EMA, but has previously worked in the State Department for vaccine production.
She calls the suspicions against HPV vaccine for ‘lies’, says that doctors who expresses fear of side effects,’ should be stopped ‘, and that the websites that tell negatively on the HPV vaccine for girls and women who are seeking information, too’ should be stopped ‘, and that we should find the money to make sure that the pro-vaccination sites come up higher on Google.
Xavier Bossuyt
Professor and head of department for an experimental Laboratory at the Catholic University of Leuwen in Belgium. Here is one of three main focus areas of the said recombinant proteins, both of which HPV vaccines are composed.
Has made a clean statement of financial conflicts of interest.
He holds a position as ‘senior clinical investigator’ by the Flemish Foundation for Scientific Research (FWO Vlaanderen). Has received funding from GlaxoSmithKline, as he is a senior clinical advisor for the Foundation, Scientific Research-Flanders.
Marta Luisa Ciofi Degli Atti
Head of Clinical, epidemiological department at the Gesù Children’s Hospital in Rome in Italy.
Has made a clean statement of potential conflicts of interest to the EMA.
Is responsible for state-supported scientific projects that deal on vaccines
EMEA Expert for evaluation of the marketing rights of vaccines and WHO adviser. Was primarily responsible speaking at the governmental conference in December 2007, when Italy agreed to the vaccine and have introduced the vaccine in the country’s regions through the state vaccine organization La Commissione Vaccini della SIAIP.
Nena Kopcavar Gucek
School, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Since 2002 she has been an assistant teacher at the Department of Family Medicine.
Has made a clean statement of potential conflicts of interest to the EMA.
Was specialist thesis on vaccinations.
Jose Melero
Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, 28220 Madrid, Spain.
Biokemier specializing in virus, vaccination and cancer.
Is a consultant for Valneva in the development of vaccine
Elizabeth Miller
Immunisation, Hepatitis and Blood Safety Department, Health Protection Agency, HPA London.
Specializes in vaccines. Has written more than 250 publications on particular vaccines. Wind also about HPV vaccinations, as she consistently absolves side effects other than minor discomfort associated with the plug.
She serves on the British agency for marketing authorizations for the pharmaceutical industry and has helped to form the WHO’s vaccine division, which she has been an advisor for a number of years. WHO recommends the vaccine.
She has submitted an otherwise clean declaration of potential conflicts of interest, but behave however in her department, HPA receive money from vaccine manufacturers for the department’s monitoring reports of cases of disease, side effects and effectiveness of the EMA monitoring.
She also receives money from the British Department of Health to conduct vaccine trials. Experiments, which is also sponsored by her own organization, the HPA.
Thank you for your true journalism. We appreciate you and your excellent, informative articles!
Thank you Sherry!
Do the people who defend this ridiculous vaccine realize that cervical cancer rates have not gone down AT ALL in the 20 years that Gardasil and Cervarix have been on the market? As people who disregard those with vaccine injuries constantly note, correlation does not mean causation, and, back at ya – the correlation between HPV and cancer does not mean causation. Anyone who thinks that something as complex as cancer can be prevented with a pharma jab is a fool who hasn’t bothered to read any biochem articles – lookin’ at you Mr. Leo Varadkar. There are no benefits to this vaccine, only drawbacks. Take it off the market – NOW!
Actually, Gardasil has only been licensed since 2006 and Cervarix since 2009. One would not expect to see a real drop in cervical cancer rates for at least 10 years, however, as the vast majority of cervical cancer cases happen after the age of 30. http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/cervical-cancer/incidence#heading-One There has been a slight drop in the number of new cases, though “deaths” don’t seem to be down (still at more than 4,000/year). However, the drop was greater before the introduction of the vaccines. http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/cervix.html
In fairness to Minister Varadkar, he thinks this is a cancer prevention vaccine. He has read the HSE marketing materials which make those claims. It is misleading and it is misleading the Irish people. I can’t believe it is intentional, I do think that this is a huge error on the part of the Irish government and the policy should be reversed. We are facing the same ignorance in the US in that senators here also believe it is a cancer prevention tool. The misconceptions about this are astounding. Merck marketed this drug as such in 2006 and the idea stuck… they have since backed off a little on that idea. However with only 30% take up rate in the US, I believe it’s evidence that women here have seen and heard all they need to with this one. That is why the 2 laws being proposed in NY are quite frightening indeed. Thanks 🙂