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DEL.ICIO.USHPV vaccine: Profit vs. protection
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The human papillomavirus vaccine is an important development in the nation’s effort to prevent a form of cancer that infects and kills a small number of women every year in the U.S. But its significant costs and uncertainty about its long-term effectiveness argue strongly against making it mandatory now in Georgia or any other state.
A wiser course would be to concentrate more resources raising awareness about HPV in young women and encourage those who are sexually active to be routinely screened.
Read Mike King’s full column on the subject and tell us what you think: Should Georgia and other states initiate mandatory vaccinations of young women against HPV virus?
Comments
By Guy Pinestra
March 8, 2007 9:29 AM | Link to this
Mike,
21 million 6th grade girls X $360 comes to $7.56 BILLION a year.
Question: Do you think the millions of dollars that Merck has spent trying to ram this vaccine down our throats will prove a profitable investment?
Answer: Only if the sheeple allow it.
By Danielle
March 8, 2007 2:06 PM | Link to this
I am a 20 year old female in the Metro Atlanta area, and let me start by saying I know several females, younger than myself, who have already been diagnosed with this HPV. Whether people would like to believe it or not, teens these days are starting early! The mandatory vaccination is a great idea, but then again, how come chicken pox vaccinations don’t get funded….which is something people cannot control? I know this HPV vaccine is to help the uprising America, and I know that it is not meant to be like this, but it is pretty much going to say (to teens), “Hey, go ahead and have sex, you got a vaccine that is going to save you from some of the consequences.” HPV is only one of the consequences of sex…honestly, I think you should just scare kids with it in SEX-ED, like what is done w/ the STDS and pregnancy. Kids these days know the consequences of sex, and they do it anyway, because everyone thinks “It can’t happen to me.” They have to learn some way, “Yes it can!”…And it will, if you do not practice Abstinence. I think the vaccination should be a choice between the child and the parent…and they should have to pay. If we are going to buy vaccines it should be for chicken pox or the flu, something no one can control.
By anonymous
March 13, 2007 4:36 PM | Link to this
why is it that when it comes to sex, we don’t view it as a public health issue, but as a behavior issue?
the statistics are 1 in 9. everyone knows someone who has HPV, but just doesn’t know it.
given those odds, it’s baffling to think that anyone would risk their daughter getting cancer because, well, she should just keep her legs closed instead.