Mar 9 2012: I remember we used some alaskan bean plant that grew quite fast and measured its main stalk height, the variable you measure could be something else though. If your local soil isn't sufficient for the growth of the plant you choose, you can always just buy some soil from a gardening store.
I'm not sure of a quickly germinating plant that would suit your local soil offhand though. I really know next to nothing about plant biology.
Try getting into contact with local gardeners in your community if you can to help you in the process. I must emphasize that your child's curiosity should guide the experiment though.
Mar 9 2012: I don't have enough time to go through all of these articles written by the singular author, Dr. Mercola, but I will address one point that is important to understand.
Dr. Mercola cites information from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), which is a reputable government agency cosponsored by the FDA and CDC. But, he does not put the information on the adverse effects reported in context. Just because an adverse effect is reported to a particular vaccine, this does not mean that they were caused by the vaccine itself. Investigators do follow up on the adverse reactions, but rarely find any cause-effect relationship.
For example, if I took the Gardasil vaccine, then a few days later died in a fatal car crash, I may be included in the VAERS numbers. Maybe the vaccine did cause me to lose consciousness and swerve off the road, but this is all subject to speculation. People assume that the VAERS reports imply a causality, but this is not the case.
Mar 9 2012: The cause of cancer is indeed extremely complex. Your risk for a particular cancer is affected by genetic as well as environmental factors. You are correct in saying that you can't "catch cancer like a cold" (although there have been some extremely interesting cases of directly communicable cancer in Tasmanian Devils http://www.cell.com/abstract/S0092-8674%2812%2900081-5)
However, your risks for a particular cancer can be affected by viral infections. When a virus infects a cell, it can mess with cell cycle regulation, DNA-repair mechanisms, telomerase activity, etc. All of these effects push that particular cell in the direction of becoming cancerous.
In the case of HPV, about 93% or even more of all cervical cancers are tied to HPV infection. In fact, "the presence of HPV in virtually all cervical cancers implies the highest worldwide attributable fraction so far reported for a specific cause of any major human cancer."
This topic is biologically complex, so I understand why it may be confusing.
Saying cancer is not communicable is mostly correct. Analogously, AIDS isn't communicable either. It is the viruses that causes these disease states that are.
You may say that this means that 5% of the population would not be benefited by the vaccine. However, their partner would have had to been abstinent as well. Just as a thought experiment, if mating is not assortative, then the chance of two people losing their virginity after marriage would be 0.05 x 0.05 = 0.0025 or .25%. So, hypothetically only a quarter of 1% of the population would be in this category. Of course, mating is probably assortative, with virgins more likely marrying virgins, but it is something to think about.
Also, let's not forget about the high divorce rate in the United States. Even if you remained abstinent until marriage, and so did your life partner, you may still divorce and remarry. In addition, even life-long married couples do occasionally cheat on their spouses.
Mar 8 2012: He could do a small-scale agricultural experiment. Plants such as beansprouts grow quite quickly. He could see how any number of variables affects the growth of the plant. Ex: amount of light, water, type of soil, etc. I did a similar experiment in 6th grade.
Most importantly, he should be interested in whatever he tests and be curious about the results. Designing the experiment, creating proper controls, etc is a very good learning process.
Mar 8 2012: Gardasil has been approved for men already. The "CDC recommends the HPV vaccine for all boys ages 11 or 12, and for males through age 21, who have not already received all three doses."
Men can experience genital warts, as well as anal, throat, and penile cancer from HPV infection.
Part of the motivation behind the CDC recommendation for vaccinating men was that so few women, less than 1/3, had been vaccinated and that it would aid in halting spread of the infection to females.
Mar 8 2012: As far as the cost goes, Srdjan wrote above that "girls ages 18 and under may qualify for the federal Vaccines for Children (VFC) program, which will cover the $120 for each injection." In addition, private insurers may also cover the vaccine as they do most vaccines recommended for routine immunization by the CDC.
On the topic of pap smear screening vs. vaccination, one study shows that "the difference in screening coverage rates among countries affects the effectiveness of the vaccination program." The study also says that "the HPV vaccination program is cost-effective in only 46 countries where per capita GDP is high." I believe the USA would fall into the category.
I believe the main motivation behind vaccinating the girls young is to protect them before they become sexually active, not because of age-related immune system decline (not to say that doesn't help!) Giving a girl a vaccine if she's already infected with that HPV strain has no upside.
Mar 8 2012: You never can truly know all the side-effects a particular vaccine or medicine will have. However, this is not to say that the FDA doesn't have very rigorous standards before they approve a drug for the marketplace. Sometimes things do fall between the cracks, and adverse reactions that weren't statistically significant in trial studies become significant when administered to the public at large. When this happens, and it is serious enough, the FDA may revoke its approval of the drug.
One way the US government tracks adverse reactions to vaccines is with Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). http://vaers.hhs.gov/index
That being said, "more than 35 million doses of HPV vaccine have been distributed in the United States as of June, 2011." As of yet, there does not appear to be any need for concern about ill-effects of the vaccine.
Another thing to think about: If the rigors of drug approval are too high, then new drugs may NEVER make it to the marketplace. It may not be economically feasible for the companies to conduct the research. In addition, think of all the lives that are currently being saved by being vaccinated that would have died if the Gardasil vaccine was introduced in 100 years when they had more data.
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A reply on Conversation: Does anyone know of an original science fair project?
I'm not sure of a quickly germinating plant that would suit your local soil offhand though. I really know next to nothing about plant biology.
Try getting into contact with local gardeners in your community if you can to help you in the process. I must emphasize that your child's curiosity should guide the experiment though.
A reply on Conversation: When it comes to vaccine intervention for disease control, should personal liberty go before the benefit to society?
Dr. Mercola cites information from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), which is a reputable government agency cosponsored by the FDA and CDC. But, he does not put the information on the adverse effects reported in context. Just because an adverse effect is reported to a particular vaccine, this does not mean that they were caused by the vaccine itself. Investigators do follow up on the adverse reactions, but rarely find any cause-effect relationship.
For example, if I took the Gardasil vaccine, then a few days later died in a fatal car crash, I may be included in the VAERS numbers. Maybe the vaccine did cause me to lose consciousness and swerve off the road, but this is all subject to speculation. People assume that the VAERS reports imply a causality, but this is not the case.
A reply on Conversation: When it comes to vaccine intervention for disease control, should personal liberty go before the benefit to society?
However, your risks for a particular cancer can be affected by viral infections. When a virus infects a cell, it can mess with cell cycle regulation, DNA-repair mechanisms, telomerase activity, etc. All of these effects push that particular cell in the direction of becoming cancerous.
In the case of HPV, about 93% or even more of all cervical cancers are tied to HPV infection. In fact, "the presence of HPV in virtually all cervical cancers implies the highest worldwide attributable fraction so far reported for a specific cause of any major human cancer."
Source: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/%28SICI%291096-9896%28199909%29189:1%3C12::AID-PATH431%3E3.0.CO;2-F/abstract
This topic is biologically complex, so I understand why it may be confusing.
Saying cancer is not communicable is mostly correct. Analogously, AIDS isn't communicable either. It is the viruses that causes these disease states that are.
A reply on Conversation: When it comes to vaccine intervention for disease control, should personal liberty go before the benefit to society?
Source: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2006-12-19-premarital-sex_x.htm
You may say that this means that 5% of the population would not be benefited by the vaccine. However, their partner would have had to been abstinent as well. Just as a thought experiment, if mating is not assortative, then the chance of two people losing their virginity after marriage would be 0.05 x 0.05 = 0.0025 or .25%. So, hypothetically only a quarter of 1% of the population would be in this category. Of course, mating is probably assortative, with virgins more likely marrying virgins, but it is something to think about.
Also, let's not forget about the high divorce rate in the United States. Even if you remained abstinent until marriage, and so did your life partner, you may still divorce and remarry. In addition, even life-long married couples do occasionally cheat on their spouses.
A comment on Conversation: Does anyone know of an original science fair project?
Most importantly, he should be interested in whatever he tests and be curious about the results. Designing the experiment, creating proper controls, etc is a very good learning process.
A reply on Conversation: When it comes to vaccine intervention for disease control, should personal liberty go before the benefit to society?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argumentum_ad_populum
(I realize the irony in me citing wikipedia) Ha.
A reply on Conversation: When it comes to vaccine intervention for disease control, should personal liberty go before the benefit to society?
Men can experience genital warts, as well as anal, throat, and penile cancer from HPV infection.
Source: http://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/stdfact-hpv-and-men.htm
Part of the motivation behind the CDC recommendation for vaccinating men was that so few women, less than 1/3, had been vaccinated and that it would aid in halting spread of the infection to females.
Source: http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/publications/news/news-now/health-of-the-public/20111026acip-hpv-hepb.html
A reply on Conversation: When it comes to vaccine intervention for disease control, should personal liberty go before the benefit to society?
On the topic of pap smear screening vs. vaccination, one study shows that "the difference in screening coverage rates among countries affects the effectiveness of the vaccination program." The study also says that "the HPV vaccination program is cost-effective in only 46 countries where per capita GDP is high." I believe the USA would fall into the category.
Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18835313
I believe the main motivation behind vaccinating the girls young is to protect them before they become sexually active, not because of age-related immune system decline (not to say that doesn't help!) Giving a girl a vaccine if she's already infected with that HPV strain has no upside.
A reply on Conversation: When it comes to vaccine intervention for disease control, should personal liberty go before the benefit to society?
A reply on Conversation: When it comes to vaccine intervention for disease control, should personal liberty go before the benefit to society?
One way the US government tracks adverse reactions to vaccines is with Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). http://vaers.hhs.gov/index
That being said, "more than 35 million doses of HPV vaccine have been distributed in the United States as of June, 2011." As of yet, there does not appear to be any need for concern about ill-effects of the vaccine.
Source: http://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/stdfact-hpv-vaccine-young-women.htm
Another thing to think about: If the rigors of drug approval are too high, then new drugs may NEVER make it to the marketplace. It may not be economically feasible for the companies to conduct the research. In addition, think of all the lives that are currently being saved by being vaccinated that would have died if the Gardasil vaccine was introduced in 100 years when they had more data.