Dr. Jen Gunter, a California-based obstetrician, wrote a scathing, yet sensible and evidence-supported rebuttal not only pointing out the article’s many fatal flaws, but also raising the question of why the Star and/or its employees would stoop to such a shamefully low level of journalism.

In response, The Star’s Heather Mallick wrote an op-ed in which she accomplished little more than hurling childish insults at Dr. Gunter. Gunter quickly responded with another round of sound scientific evidence and level-headed reason.

Enter Ben Goldacre, a physician, science writer, epidemiologist, and world champion of improved health science research ethics.  Mallick reached out to Goldacre on twitter in an attempt to bring him on side with her.  Goldacre responded with a series of tweets that could only be described as a complete and utter public slaughter of the original story and Mallick’s follow-up piece.

Meanwhile, Julia Belluz, a health reporter for vox.com, initiated correspondence with the Toronto Star to express concerns about the original story as well as Mallick’s public comportment as a journalist. According to Belluz, The Star’s editor-in-chief, Michael Cooke, responded by saying  “You should stop gargling our bathwater and take the energy to run yourself your own, fresh tub.”

The Star’s public editor, Kathy English, also responded to Belluz’s inquiry by saying “The story was not intended to be either anti-vaccine nor pro-vaccine” suggesting, it seems, that when it comes to vaccine safety there is a legitimate debate.

But there is no debate.  Science has demonstrated clearly, repeatedly, sufficiently, compellingly, and with virtually no doubt that currently approved vaccines are extremely safe and effective. Claims to the contrary are unfounded.

So I wonder … by presenting this nontroversy as a controversy, and with its senior reporters and high-level executives apparently defending the story so vehemently, can it be that we are witnessing the Toronto Star establishing itself, alongside the likes of Andrew Wakefield, Bob Sears, and Jenny MacCarthy, as the latest public supporter of the anti-vaccinationists? 

Hopefully not. But unless the Star steps up and issues a retraction, formally apologizes, or at the very least, acknowledges the article’s problems and potential for harm, then I wonder if there can be any other interpretation.

The post Is the Toronto Star the New Voice for Anti-Vaccinationists? appeared first on Kindercare Pediatrics.

It’s the start of the school year which means that the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine will soon be offered free to girls, and some boys, across Canada through school vaccination programs. This also means that parents will be asked to sign a form to either consent or not consent the vaccine for their children.

Parents, let’s talk about that decision. Katelin Albert, a PhD candidate from the Department of Sociology at the University of Toronto is conducting a study on the HPV vaccination available to grade 8 girls in Ontario. She is seeking Ontario parents for interviews to understand what experiences, beliefs, and opinions help guide parents in their decision on the HPV vaccine. These interviews are meant for both consenting and non-consenting parents with daughters in grade 6-12 in Ontario. The key objectives of these interviews are:

• To discover how do parents reason or justify their decision to accept or reject the HPV vaccine for their grade 8 daughters?
• To identify the motivations to accept or reject the vaccine from the perspective of the parent, specifically looking at how parents explain their decision.
• To discover what factors, such as media and religion are part of a parent’s decision.
• To understand how the HPV vaccination fits into their life, their child’s life, and their child’s future health and wellbeing.

No specialized or technical knowledge on the HPV vaccine is needed to participate in an interview.

Interviews are conversational and designed to understand what parents are thinking about during the decision, and how they are thinking about the vaccine itself. Involvement would include a one-hour interview, at a time and place of convenience for the parent. Interviews are confidential and will be kept anonymous.

Although the findings of this study may not directly benefit you, by participating in this study you will be making a valuable contribution to the development of a new understanding about how parents come to accept or reject the HPV vaccination for their daughters.

If you would like to participate, Katelin would be happy to arrange an interview at a location that is convenient for you. Please email Katelin.albert@mail.utoronto.ca to set up an interview, or if you have any questions about the study.

This research has received ethics approval from the University of Toronto and is supported by the Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) of Canada.

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What is Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)?

HPV is a virus that is transmitted between humans by skin-to-skin contact. Genital HPV infections, spread by intimate and sexual contact, are of greatest concern as they predispose to the development of cancer.  Most adults in Canada have been infected by HPV at one or more points in their lives.  The majority of these people usually fight off the infection without any negative consequences.  But there are some who do not completely eliminate the virus.  Most of these individuals develop genital warts.  But for some, infection with the virus leads to cervical and other cancers.

Consider that in Ontario, 500 women get diagnosed with and 140 women die from cervical cancer each year.  In the United States, over 12,000 women get diagnosed with and over 4000 die from cervical cancer each year.  Also alarming is the ever-growing number of reported cases of HPV-related oral, throat and anal cancers. Although mostly women are at risk for developing the life-threatening complications of HPV infection, men also readily acquire HPV infections and contribute, in large part, to perpetuating and spreading the disease.  Men also develop HPV-related cancers, albeit far less frequently.  Theoretically, these diagnoses and deaths can be prevented in the future by immunizing today’s children against HPV before they become sexually active.

What is the HPV Vaccine?

The HPV vaccines have been developed in the spirit of creating a safe and cost-effective way to protect people and their communities from HPV-related illness. Two types of HPV vaccine are currently available on the market:

1. Gardasil (Merck) protects against 4 HPV Strains: types 6, 11, 16 and 18.  90% of genital warts are caused by the type 6 and 11 strains.  70% of cervical cancers are caused by the type 16 and 18 strains. As such, Merck claims that Gardasil will decrease by 90% the new cases of genital warts and by 70% the new cases of cervical cancer. Gardasil is administered as an injection into the muscle of the arm on 3 separate occasions over a 6-month period.
2. Cervarix (GlaxoSmithKline) is also an injectible vaccine against HPV.  It protects against strains 16 and 18 which are responsible for 70% of cervical cancers.  Cervarix is also administered as an injection into the muscle of the arm on 3 separate occasions over a 6-month period.

Both of these vaccines are considered to be very safe and effective. For more information about HPV vaccines, see the Ontario government’s HPV vaccine fact sheet and the Center For Disease Controls HPV Vaccine Information Sheet.

How has Canada and Ontario supported immunizing children against HPV?

In 2006, the HPV vaccine was approved by Health Canada for girls aged 9 to 26.  The province of Ontario incorporated HPV vaccinations into its routine childhood immunization program in 2007. In this program, grade 8 girls have been offered the HPV vaccine in schools across Ontario the costs for which are fully covered by the provincial health insurance program.  In 2010, Health Canada expanded the HPV vaccine recommendations to include 9-26 year-old boys.  However, Ontario’s school-based HPV vaccination program has not yet followed suit by expanding its program to include boys.

Until recently in Ontario, only girls in grade 8 were eligible to receive the vaccine for free.  Practically speaking, this meant that any unimmunized or incompletely immunized girls in grade 9 or above would have to pay out of pocket to get adequtely immunized (approx cost = $175/shot).  This “now or never” approach has likely resulted in a large number of children being left un- or underimmunized.

This month, Ontario’s Ministry of Health and Long Term Care expanded the school-based HPV vaccination program to include all girls born between 1993 and 1999.  This effectively means that now all girls in grades 8 – 12 are eligible to receive the vaccine with full government funding. If you live in Ontario and you are a (parent of a) girl in grade 8-12 who hasn’t had or completed the HPV 3-shot series, speak with your doctor about how to get fully immunized by this government-funded program.  If you live in the greater Toronto Area, public clinics will be available to get or complete your (daughter’s) full HPV vaccination series.  I do not yet know if similar such clinics will be available in other Ontario regions but will update this post when I find out.

Should parents be choosing to immunize their children with the HPV vaccine?

In the vast majority of cases the answer seems to be ‘YES’.  The vaccine appears to be safe and effective.  It is strongly recommended by virtually all public health organizations worldwide including The Center for Disease Control (CDC), The World Health Organization (WHO), Health Canada, American Academy of Pediatrics, The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, and the Canadian Pediatrics Society.  The risks are very low and the potential personal and community health benefits are immense.

Dates and Addresses for HPV Vaccine Clinics in Toronto This Summer

• Thursday, July 5:  Scarborough Civic Centre 150 Borough Drive
• Monday, July 9:  Etobicoke Civic Centre 399 The Mall
• Tuesday, July 17:  East York Civic Centre 850 Coxvvell Avenue
• Wednesday, July 25:  North York Civic Centre 5100 Yonge Street
• Wednesday, August 1:  East Ycrk Civic Centre 850 Coxwell Avenue
• Monday, August 13:  North York Civic Centre 5100 Yonge Street
• Tuesday, August 21:  Scarborough Civic Centre 150 Borough Drive
• Thursday, August 30:  Etobicoke Civic Centre 399 The West Mall

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