Dear Friend, California Assembly Bill 659 (AB 659), also known as the "Cancer Prevention Act," was introduced on Feb. 9 and seeks to add the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine Gardasil to the list of vaccines required for boys and girls in Grades 8–12 to attend public or private schools in California. The Assembly Health Committee could hear this bill as early as March 14. | |
A Few Reasons You Should Be Concerned: - Gardasil can cause severe and debilitating adverse reactions for both boys and girls, including but not limited to:
- A multitude of autoimmune diseases.
- Autonomic dysfunction, including postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) and orthostatic intolerance (OI).
- Premature ovarian failure (POF) that leads to infertility.
- Guillain-Barré syndrome.
- Encephalopathy.
- Other serious conditions including death.
- Hundreds of lawsuits continue to be filed against Merck that claim Gardasil caused serious, life-altering adverse effects, including death. Since 2019, Children’s Health Defense has been supporting over 60 lawsuits against Merck, alleging the drugmaker knowingly concealed adverse events associated with its Gardasil HPV vaccine.
- Over 90% of HPV infections cause no clinical symptoms, resolve without treatment and are cleared from the body by its own immune system. (A.C. de Freitas et al.)
- The risk of developing cancer from HPV is extremely rare. In the U.S., new cases of cervical cancer will affect approximately 0.8% of women, and approximately 0.2% of people will be diagnosed with anal cancer in their lifetime.
- Cervical cancer is largely treatable if caught early. HPV and Pap tests as the most effective tools for the early detection of cervical cancer.
- Since Gardasil’s introduction in 2006, the number of deaths from cervical cancer in the U.S. has shown essentially no improvement.
Californians no longer have the option to opt out using philosophical or religious exemptions, and medical exemptions are nearly impossible to obtain. Therefore, AB 659 would force parents to choose between subjecting their child to a medical intervention with proven risks and no liability for injuries or death and pulling their children out of school. It is critical committee members understand the magnitude of AB 659’s impact on the children of California. Act now by educating your committee members and spreading the word about this bill to every parent in California. The Team at Children’s Health Defense | |
