RateADrug.com is an interesting new site where users from the community rate their experience in using different prescription drugs. Currently there are over 3,000 medications to view and share experiences about. Detailed surveys include things such as drug effectiveness, how much and how long you have been taking the drug, changes in well being, side effects, and user comments about the drug.
This is a good way for patients to stay updated with the most current side effects as well as learn about new alternative treatments. Additionally, after you fill in your experiences with your drug, you will receive your personal risk/benefit analysis based from your question responses. This gives you a score from 1 to 10 for both your side effects and positive effects so that you can see how this drug is working for you and how that compares to other users. It's also great because you can forward all of your surveys along with comments to your doctor, family member or caregiver to keep them informed about any changes in your health caused from existing or new medications.
Go to RateADrug.com to take the Gardasil drug survey and see what people are saying about it.
Friday, October 10, 2008
25% of Teen Girls Have Taken HPV Vaccine
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in four girls between the age 13 and 17 received at least one shot of Gardasil last year in the United States. Gardasil is the leading drug to fight human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes the majority of cervical cancer cases.
Gardasil was approved not too long ago by the FDA in June 2006. Since then there have been around 10,000 reports of side effects experienced, notably 21 deaths associated with its use. In addition to unknown side effects, Gardasil is one of the most expensive vaccines, costing $486 for the three shot series.
Health officials recommend that girls take their first shot of Gardasil when they are 11 or 12 as a preventative measure before becoming sexually active. They would like to see HPV vaccination rates reach closer to 90%, which is where typical vaccines for chickenpox and measles are currently at.
One alternative to Gardasil is to regularly get checked for cervical cancer by getting a Pap smear test.
Do you think the HPV vaccine should be a standard vaccine like chickenpox and measles? Have you or anyone you know experienced any side effects from Gardasil? Please share your experiences and opinions!
Gardasil was approved not too long ago by the FDA in June 2006. Since then there have been around 10,000 reports of side effects experienced, notably 21 deaths associated with its use. In addition to unknown side effects, Gardasil is one of the most expensive vaccines, costing $486 for the three shot series.
Health officials recommend that girls take their first shot of Gardasil when they are 11 or 12 as a preventative measure before becoming sexually active. They would like to see HPV vaccination rates reach closer to 90%, which is where typical vaccines for chickenpox and measles are currently at.
One alternative to Gardasil is to regularly get checked for cervical cancer by getting a Pap smear test.
Do you think the HPV vaccine should be a standard vaccine like chickenpox and measles? Have you or anyone you know experienced any side effects from Gardasil? Please share your experiences and opinions!
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