On numerous occasions recently I have referred to the Gardasil vaccination programme that the Irish Minister for Health, Mary Harney, is imposing on young schoolgirls,see most recent ones August 30 2010 and September 15 2010, I also sent Helth Minister Mary Harney an open letter on the issue as far back as July 2008
Despite many protests, and despite many approaches to the Minister, as well as to other Government officials and the Irish Medicines Board, it seems that the programme is being steadily progressed, even to the detriment of other vaccination programmes, such as those for Rubella, Mumps, etc., for younger children and infants, in that staff is being seconded from that area in order to carry out the Gardasil jabs. Now that the new school term has started, parents and guardians are being asked to complete and sign a ‘consent form’ to allow their daughters to be given the vaccine. (For some girls, this will be their second ‘jab’, as a number of schools were already visited by the Gardasil troops prior to the summer holidays.)
Amongst other questions to be answered on the form are the ‘girl’s name at birth’, and the ‘mother’s maiden name’. Other questions ask whether ‘she’ has had ‘a previous severe reaction to Gardasil’, whether ‘she’ is ‘allergic to any of the vaccine constituents (aluminium hydroxyphosphate sulphate, L-histidine, Polysorbate 80, yeast)’.
If ‘she’ were my daughter I think I would be very wary of that list of constituents, even apart from all the other dangers of the vaccine.
Parents/guardians are also asked whether or not they wish to have their daughter’s HPV vaccination records linked with ‘her’ other HSE (Health Service Executive) immunisation records, and ‘her future cervical cancer screening records with the National Cancer Screening Service’. It should be remembered that the schoolgirls undergoing the vaccination can be as young as 12-13 years of age.
Another question to which the HSE requires an answer is, if not at school or college, whether the girl is being home schooled or is outside the school system.
The HSE does say that all of the information provided will be protected under the Data Protection Acts, 1988 and 2003 – but the information will already be in the government system!
The form also allows for a parent/guardian to decline to give consent for the vaccination, and points out that ‘those over 16 years of age are legally entitled to consent for themselves’.
Finally, and interestingly, the form is called the ‘Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination Consent Form’. We know that HPV is a sexually transmitted disease.
We also know that the minimum legal age for sexual activity is seventeen years.
The following link gives access to You Tube video presentations on the issue which are a must view for parents
