As Merck’s Gardasil U.S. Sales Decline Profits Continue to Increase as Vaccine is Launched in China

    The pharmaceutical marketing trade publication, Fierce Pharma, announced this month (May 2018) that Merck has beat Wall Street expectations for their Gardasil vaccine sales during the first quarter of 2018, achieving 24% growth with $660 million for the HPV vaccine. The report notes that sales in the U.S. are declining, attributing the decline in sales to the CDC decision to reduce their recommendation of the Gardasil vaccine to be only two doses, instead of three. Nothing is mentioned about declining public opinion regarding Gardasil, nor the numerous lawsuits against the company outside the U.S. The increase in sales for Gardasil is attributed to their entrance into the China market. The original vaccine won Chinese approval last year, while late last month the Chinese FDA granted Gardasil 9 a conditional approval only nine days into a review.

      HPV Vaccines in China: What constitutes a Trade Secret?

      Why did citizens of China have to petition their government for access to clinical trial data currently available via multiple national and international government sponsored internet sites? Why is information regarding HPV vaccines which is open for public view throughout most of the world deemed a ‘trade secret’ in China? These questions are particularly relevant when you consider the heated controversy surrounding HPV vaccination programs in so many countries around the world. Is it possible that Director Bi Jing-quan, leader of China’s State Bureau of Food & Drug Administration knows information contained in clinical trial data would reveal substantial safety concerns surrounding HPV vaccines? Does Director Bi Jing-quan think the citizens of China would be eager to use HPV vaccines if they knew the true rate of adverse events is not known because no inert placebos were used during clinical trials? Is that one of the reasons HPV vaccine clinical trial data is a ‘trade secret’ in China?

        Dr. Sin Hang Lee recommends China postpone HPV vaccinations

        China’s population consists of approximately 143 million females age 9-25. If human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine manufacturers can convince the Chinese government to vaccinate every woman in this age group with 3 doses of HPV vaccine via a Publicly Funded Program as proposed by two of their paid consultants, the revenue generated could amount to over $64 billion USD (using price of HPV vaccines sold in the USA at $150/dose). This staggering amount of money would provide an enormous impact to their bottom line. But the question is at what cost?

          China Continues to Reject U.S. GMO Crops, Hurting U.S. Exports

          Earlier in 2014 we reported how China had rejected over 1.45 million tons of U.S. corn because it was found to contain a variety of genetically modified corn that is not approved in China. Much of that corn export product went to Brazil instead, as the U.S. continues to lose exports abroad due to its biotech policies of not labeling GMOs. Now, the U.S. is losing another huge export crop from America: hay. China is taking a tough stance on GMO alfalfa, which means the United States loses yet another major export agricultural product to China in hay, a livestock feed.

            China Blocks U.S. Pork Imports Due to Banned Animal Drug

            Ractopamine is a controversial animal drug that is banned in 160 countries, but not the United States. China is now refusing to allow several pork processing plants in the U.S. to import their meats which they say have tested positive for ractopamine.

              U.S. GMO Policy Hurting Exports, Costing Jobs, As China Rejects US GMO Corn

              Health concerns aside, U.S. GMO policy is damaging the U.S. economy and costing jobs. China just announced they were rejecting U.S. GMO corn in favor of Brazilian corn, draining hundreds of millions of dollars out of the U.S. economy.

                Why Are Babies Dying in China After Receiving the Hepatitis B Vaccine?

                At least nine babies have died in China the past few weeks after being injected with the Hepatitis B vaccine. The deaths, which have occurred within a very short time after receiving the vaccine, are gaining wide exposure in the China media. Because vaccines are almost always promoted as safe, injuries and deaths often are not associated with the vaccine, so there may be more deaths than have currently been reported. One of the deaths was reported by a family member after hearing about other babies dying shortly after receiving the vaccine in the media. When the family originally was fighting to save the baby from dying, they had not suspected the vaccine. Reaction in the media and the medical community in China is in stark contrast to how news like this is often reported in the U.S., where the mainstream media is reluctant to report any negative news regarding vaccines, and most doctors refuse to even acknowledge the risks vaccines carry. Here are some quotes from the China media: "Doctors also warn that the hepatitis B vaccine is not suitable for all newborns. Those suffering from fever, weak immune system, low birth weight or serious eczema should not be given the vaccination." "As the investigation continues, medical experts are reminding parents that infants don’t need to receive hepatitis B vaccines immediately after being born. They say it’s ok for parents to wait until the investigation results come out, before deciding whether they want to use the vaccines or not." In the U.S., one never reads any cautionary advice like this, in spite of the fact that deaths and serious adverse reactions do occur often.

                  China’s organic farms rooted in food-safety concerns

                  by Calum MacLeod, USA TODAY

                  BEIJING — It’s quite a shopping list — wine, mushrooms, bean curd, rice noodles, dairy drinks and cooking oil — but buyer beware. In recent months, fake or toxic batches of all these items have worried Chinese consumers nationwide and are a reminder that food safety is a major issue in […]