"No my wholesome girl"
"That’s going to promote promiscuity"
These are just two potential statements we will be treated to by the wingnuttier segment of our society, because a panel has recommended that all girls get a vaccine to prevent certain types of cervical cancer starting at the tender age of 11.
A federal vaccine advisory panel voted unanimously yesterday to
recommend that all girls and women ages 11 to 26 receive a new vaccine
that prevents most cases of cervical cancer.The
vote all but commits the federal government to spend as much as $2
billion alone on a program to buy the vaccine for the nation’s poorest
girls from 11 to 18.The vaccine, Gardasil, protects against cancer and genital warts by preventing infection from four strains of the human papillomavirus, the most common sexually transmitted disease, according to federal health officials. The virus is also a cause of other cancers in women.
The problem the government faces is that Gardisil is expensive. Personally, I think Merck can do better, making the vaccine available at least to medicaid receipients for a huge discount. As long as medicaid has the ability to negotiate for the discounts, Merck should bring the price down. After all, this vaccine could save millions of women the agony of cancer treatments.
Aside from the money issue, FOF’s Linda Klepaki once again shows how obtuse and unrealistic is.
"You can’t catch the virus, you have to go out and get it with sexual
behavior," said Linda Klepacki of Focus on the Family, a conservative
Christian group based in Colorado Springs. "We can prevent it by having
the best public health method, and that’s not having sex before
marriage."
Just take a look at the faces of AIDs. Women, and especially married women have been the fastest growing segment of AID’s sufferer’s, in the past couple of years. Just think about that for a few minutes and then ask yourself if your daughter’s marital status is more important than helping save her from several different forms of cancer and genital warts.
It’s a very simple question, that has tremendously important consequenses attached to the answer.
For parents who do not get the vaccine, they are exposing the daughter to danger even if she does not have sex before marraige. Is the man she marries a virgin? Will he ever cheat on her? Will she ever cheat on him? Who can answer those questions with certainty?
Thanks for the post.
Someone said there’s a vaccination for both genders and this is shopped as cervical cancer when it should be shopped as HPV stopper which in turn stops cc. HPV in men is harder to detect and has almost no symptoms (unless you’re lucky and get warts)… what about them, and those they sleep with, they carry HPV. My problem is even though penile, anal and other cancers in males are rare, they don’t have a test and they pass it on. If it is to be wiped out, both need vaccines. It has to be the cost, because Merck has it and I haven’t heard a word.
I’ve looked everywhere for the testing and trials… as well as side effects and can’t find them. If someone knows, can they leave links… thanks.
Ali, the vaccine for men is in trials. At least it appears to be based on my reading of this 2004 article. My understanding is that MCG is part of an international study. It will most likely be another couple of years before we hear about any results.
Government-enforced vaccination is a delicate subject. Texas has now madated that Gardasil be given to all sixth grade girls.
I recently spoke with a friend of a friend who is an MD consulting for the State of Maryland Board of Health as the state tries to decide if they will cave in to pharmaceutical mega-corporation Merck and force the vaccinations on all young girls.
I use that terminology because Merck is spending BILIIONS of dollars on unethical lobbying to get states to adopt Gardasil.
Only 3700 women last year died from cervical cancer. Yes, I said ONLY.
Because that number is FAR BELOW the HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of people that die each year from lung and other types of cancer.
Where is Merck’s BILLIONS of DOLLARS SPENT on drugs and research for those cancers?
Sounds a little bit selective to me.
What a massive windfall it would be for Merck to get all 50 states to force people to use their product—especially when they just lost BILLIONS in lawsuits stemming from the Vioxx murders.
This is not a “liberal-conservative” issue. This is about corporate deception and greed, and if you are buying this line because of sexual politics, or the culture wars, or feminism—you are deluding yourself and need to do some research. Educate yourselves and your children before “getting into bed” with the greedy corporate agenda.
I think the vaccine is the best solution for cervical cancer abstentation wouldn’t save so many women.It’s only a personal decision.