Cervical cancer kills around 940 women in the UK every year and the majority of these women are over the age of 45 years. Although shocking, this is a comparatively low figure,compared to those dying from other cancers, the highest rate of death being those dying from breast cancer which kills around 12,000 people a year. Despite these relatively low figures, the UK Government is keen to make sure that every girl over the age of twelve is vaccinated with the new HPV vaccine Cervarix which was introduced to the UK in September 2008.

Cervarix is a vaccine that protects women against strains 16 and 18 of the sexually transmitted disease HPV or Human Papillomavirus which causes 70% of cases of cervical cancer and precancerous cervical lesions seen in women today. Cervical cancer, is a cancer of the lower part of the uterus or womb and precancerous cervical lesions, are the changes in the cells of the cervix that have a risk of turning into cancer. Cervarix works by causing the body’s own defences to make antibodies against Human Papillomavirus types 16 and 18. Cervarix will not protect against all types of HPV only strains 16 and 18. Cervarix is currently used for females from the age of 10 years onwards.

Many parents and young women however, are now questioning how necessary this vaccine is. This is due to the information recently released from Cancer Research UK, which states that cervical cancer is actually only the twelfth most common cancer in women in the UK and the majority of women who do die are over 45 years of age. They also state that over the last 30 years the numbers of those that have died with cervical cancer has actually fallen by two thirds. Parents have also questioned why a vaccine for sexually transmitted diseases is being offered to children as young as twelve and are worried that this is giving children the message that sexual activity at such as young age is OK some even naming the vaccine the ‘promiscuity vaccine’.

These facts are worrying many experts and some question whether giving the HPV vaccine to children as young as twelve is necessary and whether to wait until the child is older.

Dr. Diane Harper, a leading expert, involved in the original clinical trials for Cervarix says that this decision was not a scientific decision but a political decision.

“The age at which the vaccine is recommended is a political decision, not a scientific decision.” she told me in an email.

“Scientifically Cervarix has performed equally well in all efficacy tested ages from 16-26 years. Cervarix has also induced antibody titers in girls and boys 10-15 years and in women 16-26 years old that are equivalent to the titers seen in the 16-26 year old efficacy cohort which produces outstanding efficacy. Scientifically we also know that 10% of 10-11 year olds have already been infected with HPV and that there is no age at which all girls are not exposed to HPV.”

She continued to say that the Cervarix vaccine only helps to prevent the HPV infection, it does not prevent cancer. She feels that the PAP screening tests are equally as important as the vaccine and feels that in the long term PAP screening will prevent more cervical cancer than the vaccine itself.

She says:

“Pap screening has effected the early detection of cancer precursors, and treatment with excisional methods (leep, cone) has completely removed the pre-cancers, hence preventing cancers from developing. Your population needs to continue with Pap screening as the vaccination will not prevent as many cancers from developing as will routine Pap screening.”

This is very different to what could be seen as the potentially misleading advertising that the UK government has endorsed.

The advert given to all GP’s at the beginning of the Cervarix campaign stated:-

“Cervarix helps you give women cervical cancer protection, with a strong and sustained immune response.”

This is seen by many as misleading and could have given many GP’s the false impression that this vaccine protects women from cervical cancer, when in fact it only protects women from HPV which is said to cause just 70% of cervical cancer.

The same information is found on many websites.

This is the information found on the Netdoctor website

“During 2008 and 2009 the UK has seen the widespread use of two new vaccines to prevent cancer of the cervix (neck of the womb): Gardasil and Cervarix”.

The recent NHS adverts not only lies but because of those lies it misleads young women into believing that the Cervarix vaccine arms them against cancer of the cervix, for life.

On several bus routes throughout the UK, adverts with the following information can be seen:-

“Arm yourself for Life

“The HPV Vaccine will help prevent Cervical cancer.”

This gives the strong and often misleading message that Cervarix protects women against cervical cancer for life and this is not what experts are saying.

Dr Harper makes it very clear that the vaccine does not prevent Cervical cancer.

She also says that Glaxo Smith Kline do not know how long the vaccine lasts as the trials are still ongoing. In an email she stated the following:

“Good News is that Cervarix is proven to protect women for 8.5 years and the trials are still ongoing. The antibody titers at this time are still very very high (as high as at 18 months after vaccination), so there is reasonable hope that the protection will continue for the necessary minimum of 15 years to offer true decreases in cancer.”

When asked her opinion as to whether she thought that the advertising campaign was falsely advertising the product she answered:-

“The ‘for life’ part has no facts, unless they are promoting screening. The data go out to 8.5 years.”

She is right of course, as Glaxo Smith Kline in their material, sent out to GP’s at the beginning of their campaign in the form of a GP Advert contains the information Duration and protection has not been fully established in other words the MANUFACTRERS of the actual vaccine, haven’t a clue how long it lasts for or even what protection it gives. So what I would like to know is how the NHS or the National Health Service in GB can advertise this vaccine with the words ‘Armed for Life’ or ‘Arm yourself for Life’ as they are currently doing. This is misleading the public and may be putting young lives at risk.

The adverts do mention screening in small print, however, when you glance at an advert it is usually as a whole and you notice the headline first. Whether you mention PAP screening or not, the fact remains, that this vaccine does not at present protect against anything FOR LIFE!

I was so outraged by these lies, that I took my complaint to the ASA or the Advertising Standards Authority. I have received a letter back from Susan Thomas Complaints Executive who says:-

“Firstly you object to the slogan ‘Arm yourself for life’ because you understand that it is not yet known how long the vaccine offers protection for. We have passed this matter to our investigations team for further consideration.”

Well it is a step in the right direction I guess.

I have also contacted my local Member of Parliament Mr Nick Gibb, who is the Shadow Minster for Education. He has also written to the Advertising Standards Authority. Mr Gibb is working very hard on my behalf to take this matter further.

The fact of the matter is, it is not just a case of my understanding that it is not yet known how long the vaccine offers protection for, it is a case of hard facts, no one knows not even Glaxo Smith Kline themselves. Surely they must have endorsed this advert, for it have gone ahead.

The Indian authorities feel that Glaxo Smith Kline are misleading the public in the way this vaccine is being advertised. The Drugs Controller General of India or DCGI; the Drug Regulatory Authority of India has pulled up Glaxo Smith Kline Plc’s (GSK) for what they call “unlawful” propagation of its cervical cancer vaccine Cervarix, through mass media.

They state that Glaxo Smith Kline’s promotional advertisement campaign has appeared in different newspapers and on television channels announcing that the vaccine will be effective against cervical cancer and this contravenes the provisions of Indian drug laws.

The DCGI state that the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Drugs & Magical Remedies Act 1954, does not allow any claim to prevent or cure diseases in Schedule J of the Act, which includes cancer and the adverts they say does just this.

Under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, drugs sold under prescription cannot be advertised and this includes vaccines. India only allows advertisement of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs.

Even though the GlaxoSmithKline adverts do not refer to the name of its product Cervarix anywhere in the ad campaign experts they report have said the following:-

“Those ads clearly claim that vaccination can prevent cervical cancer, so it doesn’t matter that they don’t name the vaccine.”

It is reported that DCGI Surinder Singh was quoted as saying:-

“They (GSK) say the vaccine will be effective for cervical cancer. This kind of advertising is not allowed,”

GSK were asked by the DCGI to withdraw promotional advertisements for the cervical cancer vaccine, because they believed the campaign to be violating certain norms.

A spokesman for GSK said “We have received a show cause notice from the DCGI regarding our disease awareness campaign on cervical cancer. We are in the process of responding to the same suitably,”

Sadly this leaves many parents and women very confused and questioning the true qualities of the Cervarix vaccine. How are parents expected to know who to trust when the information is conflicting and misleading in content?

Jeff John Aufderheide who runs the website VacTruth and wants the truth about vaccines to be told in full, feels that the wording of these adverts are little more a ’slick advertising ploy‘, to ensure as many as possible are vaccinated.

“The mere notion that cervical cancer can be prevented with a vaccine is absurd. Only through gimmicks, propaganda ploys, slick advertising and lobbying is GSK able to convince the suspecting women and mothers to ignore the laws of nature. Progressive studies in science have proven many times over that exercise, raw foods and hygiene prevent cancer, not vaccines.”

Source: Vac Truth