Imagine being rushed to the hospital after being treated with a common vaccine. That's exactly what happened to two hundred women in a small town in Colombia. Girls from the town El Carmen de Bolivar were hospitalized after having a bad reaction to the popular HPV vaccine Gardasil, which helps protect against cervical cancer. The reported symptoms of the girls, ranging in age from 9 to 16 years old included fainting, numbness and headaches.
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In addition, the illnesses reportedly flared up again starting in May. Hospitals were flooded with one hundred and twenty women over the weekend. Most clinics in the village had to shut down. Residents of the community have initiated a non-violent protest, seeking answers and demanding an investigation. This is really scary considering that 62 million women and teens have been administered the HPV vaccine since its inception in 2006.
According to the CDC, nearly 14 million people are diagnosed with HPV (human papillomavirus) each year. The vaccine is usually administered via a series of three shots spaced out in time. The U.S. government site has a vaccine reporting system that confirms that 30,000 negative reports have been filed this year regarding the HPV vaccine–with 10 to 15 percent being categorized as serious hospitalizations, illnesses or even death.
Dr. Francisco Vega, the town's mayor, confirmed that there is no evidence that the vaccine is to blame for the mystery illness that plagued this town. That sounds a little shady, especially since all of the women who suffered from the side effects reportedly took the Gardasil shot. Perhaps this area in Colombia received a bad batch, but then more clinical trials should take place to ensure safety. I really think the pharmaceutical companies should show some concern over the patients and not just focus on making more money. Someone, somewhere has to be gaining somethng from all this. And the thought of a corrupt system is almost scarier than HPV itself.
Image via Corbis Images
