In this video Sam Leuzzi, MD discusses the HPV vaccine Gardasil, PAP smears and the related marketing process to girls and young women.

Video Transcription

Male 1: There is a new vaccine that came out about two years ago called Gardasil against a particular virus which seems to treat a cervical cancer, at least a lot of cervical cancer. It is very expensive. It is $400.00, cost. Male 2: It is the Human Papillomavirus. Male 1: Yes, right. We do not know how long it is going to work. We do not know if it going to work. In theory, it is going to reduce about 70% of the cervical cancer, potential deaths, in theory. We do not know if we got a couple strength that something else will come along because maybe, being suppressed, we do not know. We are not against vaccination. We are against giving new things until we know it is sick. Is it better? Am I reasonable? Male 2: I would agree with you. Yes, I would agree with you. Male 1: And since the drug company decides what the cost is and nobody else, at $400.00 if I was girl and trying eventually getting approved for boys that is going to be a substantial cost. And if they could immunize every boy and girl, there is an article in the Times that said that could raise the cost of that one vaccine to $10 billion dollars a year. That is quite more than any drug I have heard that is on the market today. Male 2: That is quite a bit— Male 1: Right now it is in a billion. Male 2: Yes. And they are expecting us to immunize from age 9 to 26. Male 1: Or they want to go beyond 26. Male 2: They do. They want to get it approved for the 26 to 40 range. And believe it or not, I have a lot of women who come in, the mother’s say why cannot I get the vaccine, you know? And they want to get the vaccine. Why is it limited to only up to 26? So, there is a lot of advertising that goes into it but we are hearing more and more everyday that there are side effects. This is a worldwide vaccine. It is distributed worldwide and a lot times, we do not hear a lot of stories that are going in on in Europe and other parts of the world but— Male 1: Well, right now, according to Times article, they think there is a potential of 20 linked deaths. May not be the vaccine but it seemed at the time it was given, within a short period of time, a stroke like reaction or something similar and there was a death. And since it was the only thing that was done at that time, there was a great concern it could have been linked to deaths. And they are about somewhere 500 to 600 serious side effects although they were not deaths, but they were serious clotting and what other kind of things. And I understand that lot of kids, they got the vaccine, Fainted, now, we do not substantially fear of getting a vaccine and you can get light headed and you can faint. But how many times that happens in your practice? Male 2: Thank God it has not happen. Male 1: Why not? You have been in practice essentially over years, I cannot think it twice and you could say no. Do you know they want us to watch these kids for 20 minutes after getting the shot so they do not collapse? That is the first vaccine I ever heard that pieces. Male 2: Yes, but I have not heard that. Yes, in the past but now they are saying that; that we should observe the patient and watch the patient for 20 to 30 minutes after the vaccine. Male 1: In the article there, I know there your trusting point; I thought it was greatly discussed. If you got the vaccine, why do I need a pap smear? That is only been too skeptical – it is not going to wipe out all the cases. Only a potential 70% and the kids or the adults, I should say, who got cervical cancer are usually the ones who did not get a pap smear to ten years, in Liverpool there it is, and they all know that height was to die from cervical, so you could see that—could prop up pretty soon? Male 2: Yes, you hate to think of a full sense of security where people think, “Oh! I got the vaccine. I do not need to go for my pap smear or my regular gynecological exam. But you do and cannot go and get checked routinely and – but you could see that happen and more people feel that they had the vaccine and they cannot get the cancer. Male 1: So, in other words, the cost of the vaccine is