Re: A Necessary Vaccine [NYT Editorial]
From: acmidwife@netscape.net
Mon Feb 26 19:01:41 2007
No kidding. The word PROPAGANDA springs to mind.
ac mase
-----Original Message-----
From: goldman@calweb.com
To: ob-gyn-l@dns.obgyn.net
Sent: Mon, 26 Feb 2007 3:49 PM
Subject: Re: A Necessary Vaccine [NYT Editorial]
Who paid for this editorial?
On Feb 26, 2007, at 3:09 PM, Dean Huffman . wrote:
> .
>
> Editorial in today's NY Times
>
> http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/26/opinion/26mon1.html
>
> - - - -
>
> A Necessary Vaccine
>
> Published: February 26, 2007
>
> Debate over a new vaccine to prevent cervical cancer and genital > warts has
> reached a high pitch. State legislatures are debating whether to > mandate the
> vaccine or insist that its use be kept voluntary. The manufacturer > stopped a
> vigorous lobbying campaign lest it provoke more opposition than > support. And
> some health professionals who had been championing the vaccine > flinched at
> making it mandatory, at least for now.
>
> Even so, state legislatures should require that all young girls be > given this
> vaccine, which protects against a virus that causes some 10,000 new > cases of
> cervical cancer in the United States each year — and 3,700 cancer > deaths.
>
> Three weeks ago we applauded Gov. Rick Perry for making Texas the > first state to
> require vaccinating young schoolgirls — ages 11 and 12 — against > the human
> papillomavirus. In the ensuing uproar, the Texas House has moved to > overturn
> his order, but the Virginia Legislature has approved a similar > mandate. Some 20
> states have bills pending to require the vaccinations for school > attendance.
>
> We have endorsed a mandate because the vaccine — Merck’s Gardasil — > looks highly
> effective against strains that cause 70 percent of all cervical > cancer. With
> more than two million doses already distributed, the reported side > effects have
> been mostly minor, such as dizziness or fainting. Many parents who > oppose a
> mandate are aghast at the thought of vaccinating such young girls > against a
> sexually transmitted disease. But the vaccine works only if taken > before a girl
> becomes infected. Social conservatives object that the vaccine will > encourage
> promiscuity, but it seems farfetched to believe that protection > from cervical
> cancer will change any girl’s behavior. Others complain that a > mandate will
> pre-empt parental rights to make health decisions, but all vaccine > mandates do
> that, to protect the children and those they might infect.
>
> The strongest arguments against moving ahead quickly tend to be > practical and
> financial. States have typically used school mandates for vaccines > that are
> already in wide use, and it is possible that unexpected side > effects could
> emerge (though any mandate could be suspended if that happened). > Health
> professionals also need to be certain that there are stable > supplies, adequate
> insurance coverage, ample public money to vaccinate low-income > children and
> physician support.
>
> Merck deserves praise for developing Gardasil at a time when many > companies shun
> the vaccine business as risky and unprofitable. But it is charging > $360 for a
> three-dose regimen, a price that might come down if a competing > vaccine enters
> the market soon, as expected.
>
> The vaccine could prevent thousands of new cases of cervical cancer > annually and
> hundreds of thousands of cases of genital warts and precancerous > growths. A
> mandate would force the health care system to get cracking. And it > is the best
> way to ensure that all children get the vaccine, not just those who > are aware
> of it and can afford it.
>
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