Hot Rods are Baghdad's New Trend
PHILLIPS: Well, new worries for millions of girls and women who received the new vaccine designed to prevent cervical cancer, Gardasil. Many women are complaining about adverse side effects ranging from nausea to paralysis. And some are suing now. Our medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is in Atlanta with the details. So Elizabeth, what exactly happened to these girls?</s>ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Keira, I was on the phone last night with the mother of one of the two girls who have sued in federal court. And she says that her daughter, Jesalee Parsons was a perfectly healthy 13-year-old. Got the Gardasil shot. Within hours developed a fever and became ill and she developed in relatively short order, acute pancreatitis. She had to have two surgeries, had to have part of her pancreas was removed, was in and out of the hospital for many weeks. And still now, more than a year later, is not completely healthy. Now, these two lawsuits are separate from the adverse event reports that you referred to. Those are people calling the FDA saying, hey I got Gardasil and something happened to me. They're not actually suing, but nearly 8,000 people have clan complained to the FDA about side effects. Now, when I asked Merck about this, that's the company that makes Gardisal, they said, look, these could be coincidences. Just because you get a shot and then get sick, it doesn't mean that the shot caused it. Perhaps these people were going to get sick anyways -- Kyra.</s>PHILLIPS: All right. So what should women do that are taking it right now? Should -- is everybody saying don't go there?</s>COHEN: No, that's not at all what doctors are saying. So, if you decide you want to get the shot for yourself or for your daughter, you should go to your doctor and say look, I want to talk about this, I've heard about these side effects and you want to weigh the pros and cons. Because of course, like any other drug, this drug has risks. One of the things to think about is that this vaccine is recommended routinely for 11 and 12-year-old girls. You can only get this virus when you're sexually active. So I know some mothers who have said to their pediatricians, look, my 11-year-old is not having sex. Is it possible to delay this shot?</s>PHILLIPS: OK Elizabeth Cohen, appreciate it. Thanks. Well, third graders on cholesterol-lowering drugs. A leading pediatricians group actually thinks it's a good idea. For first time it's recommending that children as young as 8 be put on them. The American Academy of Pediatrics released the new guidelines today suggesting that the move could help ward off future heart problems. The group is also taking issue with whole-fat milk. It recommends that even 1-year-olds could benefit from the low-fat variety. Doctors say that mounting research shows that damage leading to heart disease begins early in life. And when violence is a way of life in your city. How scary can a little speed be? CNN's Frederik Pleitgen runs with the Baghdad Hot- Rodders.</s>FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On any given day, Baghdad traffic is dangerous, dense and dull. But there are those who dare to be different. Meet Baghdad's speed freaks. And their pimped up rides. Louai says his Trans Am is so fast he needs help from above. (on camera): I see you have the Koran up here. Why is that?</s>LOUAI AL-AMEER, HOT-RODDER: To protect the car.</s>PLEITGEN: Protect the car? Because you drive so fast?</s>AL-AMEER: Yes, yes yes. I drive very fast.</s>PLEITGEN (voice-over): And then Louai lets me get behind the wheel. (on camera): You can really feel the muscle of the car as you drive it down here. I think I might have to turn around somewhere. Think we're going right toward the checkpoint. Hi, how are you doing? Everything okay?</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.</s>PLEITGEN: All right. They love the car. (voice-over): And how about this 2005 Mustang or the 1998 Nissan? Car customizing was illegal under Saddam Hussein. And now that they have the freedom, the hot rodders say they are just getting started. Ali's Jafaar's body shop is the place to go for slick designs.</s>ALI JAFAAR, BODY SHOP OWNER (through translator): The strangest designs are drawings of girls on the sides of the cars, Ali Jafaar says. It is in black and white. Right now we can't do it in any other way.</s>PLEITGEN: Customized stickers are pretty much as flashy as it gets these days. But Ali Jafaar says the Baghdad car pimpers will catch on fast. Only a year ago driving cars like these would have been impossible in Baghdad and even today it's dangerous. With car jackers and armed militias still on the road. Mustafa Dhiyaa says his Nissan is almost holy to him, a way to remember a friend killed in Baghdad's violence who shared his passion for automobiles. My friend died in a car bomb explosion, Mustafa says. And we always talked about this car so much. I really would have wanted him to see this car and ride with me. Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Baghdad.</s>PHILLIPS: Well, if you're doing some soul searching, you might want to check out what this lady's selling. Her soul, on eBay. How do you ship something like that?