CA Victory with HPV Mandate -- But the Fight Isn't Over!

Your hard work continues to make huge strides, and we’re almost at the finish line! As you are probably aware, on April 12, California Assembly Bill 659 (AB 659) — the “Cancer Prevention Act” — was amended again, this time eliminating the HPV vaccine mandate for California college students. This is another huge win for medical freedom, though the bill still contains dangerous, intentionally misleading language that needs further amending.

On May 31, AB 659 passed the California Assembly Floor with a vote of 59-14. This bill is now heading to the Senate Health Committee AND the Senate Education Committee. It is scheduled to be heard by the Senate Health Committee on June 28. As is, the bill would “declare the public policy” that all California students 26 years of age or younger “are expected to be fully immunized against HPV” before first-time enrollment at state universities and community colleges or before younger students enter 8th grade. This wording is not only confusing but also leaves the door open for interpretation by school districts.

Let’s keep up the momentum for a final push to have the language changed to clarify that it is recommended, not expected, that students are vaccinated for HPV. The bill’s confusing language may lead students who do not want the HPV vaccine to take it because they believe it is required.

Troubling Facts About Gardasil

▶︎ Gardasil, manufactured and marketed by Merck, received fast-tracked FDA approval, leaving many unanswered questions about its safety and efficacy.

▶︎ Gardasil only targets nine out of the over 200 strains of HPV.

▶︎ 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.

▶︎ Hundreds of individuals across the U.S. are filing lawsuits against Merck, claiming 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.

▶︎ Gardasil can cause serious 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.

▶︎ Merck’s clinical trials of Gardasil did not look for or test for cancer prevention. Whether Gardasil provides any protection against cancer (let alone lifetime immunity) is unproven.

▶︎ For individuals with an active HPV infection at the time of vaccination, studies have shown up to a 44.6% increased risk of developing advanced abnormal pre-cancer not seen prior to vaccination.

▶︎ 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.)

▶︎ Since Gardasil’s introduction in 2006, the number of deaths from cervical cancer in the U.S. has shown essentially no improvement.

▶︎ This mandate would inhibit equal access to education and place students at risk for serious harm.

Please act now by contacting the Senate Health AND Senate Education Committee members to voice your concerns about this bill. Ask them to request the bill’s author Cecilia M. Aguiar Curry to remove the word “expected” and replace it with “recommendation” to avoid misinterpretation of the bill. It must be clear to all parents and students that the HPV vaccine is NOT required for any students to attend school.