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Merck To Halt Lobbying For Vaccine
theodp writes "Reacting to a furor from some parents, advocacy groups, and public health experts, Merck said yesterday that it would stop lobbying state legislatures to require the use of its new cervical cancer vaccine Gardasil, which acts against strains of the sexually-transmitted human papilloma virus. The $400, 3-shot regimen was approved by the FDA in June. Later that month, a federal advisory panel recommended that females 11-26 years old be vaccinated. The governor of Texas has already signed an executive order making its use mandatory for schoolgirls."
To put it in perspective Rick Perry had $24 million in contributions the same year Merck gave him $6,000. If you really think he was motivated by such a small donation you haven't seen what it takes to get things done in government.
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As a pathologist, you are well aware of treatment options and how frequently (or infrequently, I should say) actual cancer shows up, say CIS -- or even HSIL.
Do you really think it's wise to spend tens of billions in the US alone -- and close to a billion a year for every year after that on a solution just out of phase I testing? Don't get me wrong -- I like the vaccine and am hopeful phase II and III studies will show a much greater lenth of protection -- and perhaps prevent abnormal changes in pre-exposed women who get vaccinated. I'm not ready to make that leap. I'm honestly not sure I'd ever be ready for that leap. Thats a HUGE expense and the money has to come from somewhere.
Disclaimer: I've provided aid in a number of studies following HPV, CIN I, II, III, etc... and have been listed as a contributer in a few research papers. I've also been asked to help facilitate data collection for a number of post-vaccination studies.