Text 115, 52 rader
Skriven 2006-05-20 14:37:55 av Matt Munson (1:218/109)
Ärende: FOF Scared about HPV Vaccine
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Hello everybody.

HPV Vaccine Ready For Release
by DarkSyde
from dailykos.com
Sat May 20, 2006 at 07:04:21 AM PDT

A new vaccine which may be 100% effective in preventing common forms of
cervical and other types of cancer is ready for approval:

    Reuters--Food and Drug Administration staff said they would ask an advisory
panel that meets on Thursday to discuss the safety and effectiveness of
Gardasil as well as findings that some women and girls who were infected with
HPV before they got the vaccine had a higher rate of cervical lesions. Gardasil
has shown 100 percent efficacy in preventing the sexually transmitted human
papillomavirus, which causes 70 percent of cervical cancer cases, according to
Merck. This type of cancer kills nearly 4,000 women in the U.S. annually and
nearly 300,000 worldwide, according to the National Cervical Cancer Coalition.


Merck also quietly kicked off a PR and promotional plan which some industry
observers speculate was a preemptive strike aimed at the Religious Reich. It
appears to have been at least partially successful as seen by this Fatwa from a
year ago:

    New Scientist--"Abstinence is the best way to prevent HPV," says Bridget
Maher of the Family Research Council, a leading Christian lobby group
..."Giving the HPV vaccine to young women could be potentially harmful, because
they may see it as a licence to engage in premarital sex."

Compared to the new Fatwa:

    CNN-- Focus on the Family and the Family Research Council, both faith-based
conservative policy organizations, recently have spoken in support of HPV
vaccines from Merck and GlaxoSmithKline because of their life-saving potential.
But the organizations still promote abstinence before marriage as the best way
to prevent infection. "The HPV vaccine does not, in any circumstances, negate
or substitute God's plan for sexuality ..."

I'm kind of curious who in their right mind might have made the argument that a
vaccine would substitute for a deity in the first place? I bet such claims
never came from my side of the political divide. But whoever it was, it turns
out there's no conflict between God and vaccines after all! And just in case
any trouble makers go back and find religious extremists saying otherwise, I'm
sure Squealer will sneak into the barn and revise any pesky records so as to
reflect the new truth.

Matt

... She sells unix shells by the sea shore
--- SBBSecho 2.11-Win32
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