tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5510655703336125501.post3152903818708967574..comments2024-03-09T07:46:35.435-05:00Comments on Gardasil Side Effects: So who’s reporting Gardasil to the FDA’s Bad Ad program?Kristin Johnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08344523053859405902noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5510655703336125501.post-63113664167793915902010-07-19T14:55:50.174-04:002010-07-19T14:55:50.174-04:00Thanks for an interesting comment. Without being a...Thanks for an interesting comment. Without being an expert on the subject of Alzheimer's (not that that's ever stopped me from having an opinion)I'd guess that it's because we do know, pretty much for sure, that persistent HPV is the cause of almost all cases of cervical cancer; therefore it's reasonable to assume that if you prevent persistent infection by any HPV strain, you'll prevent cervical cancer caused by that particular strain. (Note: I have some very severe reservations about whether Gardasil will achieve this goal given the risk of replacement disease--but that's the theory). <br /><br />However, researchers don't know for sure that the build-up of plaque in the brain is what causes Alzheimer's. People without plaque can get the disease, and some of those who do have Alzheimer's don't have plaque. Therefore a drug has to be shown to do more than just reduce plaque in order to be worth potential side effects.<br /><br />Medicine is, frankly, a black art that is only as good as what we know so far. The FDA often gets things wrong, but it's not always totally illogical, and the side-effects of some drugs, known or unforseen, are appalling.<br /><br />That's why I think we all have to be responsible for our own health rather than mindlessly accepting anything the doctor orders. Know the risks versus benefits. My doc is resigned to the fact that I question and research almost everything and will sometimes shoot him an email later telling him I'm not doing something and why, the poor sod!Kristin Johnshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08344523053859405902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5510655703336125501.post-7076511209940766142010-07-18T14:29:26.867-04:002010-07-18T14:29:26.867-04:00So why is the FDA less willing to accept surrogate...So why is the FDA less willing to accept surrogate endpoints for a drug to fight Alzheimer's than it was for a drug to fight cervical cancer? The NYTimes reported on the front page yesterday that the FDA is unwilling to approve drugs that reduce the plaque in the brain that is believed to cause or be a precursor to Alzheimer's unless the drug companies can show that "those who took the drug ended up with better memory and better ability to think than those who did not take the drug." The article goes on to report that the FDA's caution is warranted because of all the drugs where it turned out that not only did the drug not help, but it actually hastened death for patients who took it. Where was this caution in the case of Gardasil?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5510655703336125501.post-78678726453887575882010-05-27T21:25:49.300-04:002010-05-27T21:25:49.300-04:00LOL advertising drugs is awful. You are right, may...LOL advertising drugs is awful. You are right, maybe this is a good time to try to get drug ads banned.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5510655703336125501.post-23489389830827787552010-05-27T17:44:40.016-04:002010-05-27T17:44:40.016-04:00Thank you Kristin for speaking up about DTC advert...Thank you Kristin for speaking up about DTC advertising. I have no confidence in the FDA's procedure especially when it comes to HPV Vaccines. Glaxo's Ceravix ad used cervical cancer in a even more outrageious manner than Gardasil and it entered the game later. Shame on 'em all.Ninanoreply@blogger.com